Lisa Burik

“My dad, Michael Rolfe, was beloved by all,” shared Lisa Burik, one of the founding members of Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. “He was a mentor, a friend, and just a great guy. I like to think that his life had a real purpose, giving impetus to an organization that would have such a positive impact.”

 

Uncovering Michael’s Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis

Michael had bypass surgery following a heart attack in 1998, at age 61. Despite being in otherwise good health, his recovery was unexpectedly long and complicated. Lisa’s background in healthcare spurred her to advocate on behalf of her dad and ask his doctors if other underlying medical conditions might be contributing to his post-surgical issues. After months of additional scans and tests, the blood test marker for Pancreatic Cancer came back positive. Michael died just two weeks later.

“Dad’s late diagnosis was very common, unfortunately, for three reasons: One, indicators usually come about very late in the progression of the disease. Two, the cancer could have been exacerbated by some other stress, like a bypass surgery. And three, the symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer are very non-specific, making it difficult to diagnose,” Lisa explained.

 

The Evolution Of Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

Shortly after his death, Michael’s family and friends gathered in the living room of the Rolfe’s Highland Park home to discuss a way to honor his legacy and change the narrative around Pancreatic Cancer. “We decided to make lemonade out of lemons, and try to help others in the quest for an early detection test so more people have a fighting chance,” recalled Lisa.

As co-owner of a management consulting firm at the time, Lisa knew how to build an organization from scratch; collaborating with the newly-formed team of family and friends, she helped to establish the systems and processes needed to operate a non-profit. Based on her familiarity with academic medical centers, Lisa was also instrumental in helping Rolfe to find and fund grants for early detection research.

Over the past 25 years, Lisa has seen how Rolfe Foundation’s contribution toward smaller scientific breakthroughs has led to larger scientific breakthroughs. “We’ve come a long way in our knowledge about the disease, including early indicators and genetic testing,” Lisa commented. “A lot of people are getting diagnosed earlier and have more options in terms of the therapies that are available.”

 

Rolfe’s Expansion Into Patient Support And Education

Rolfe Foundation expanded its mission to include patient and family support and resources, creating a personalized roadmap for navigating a Pancreatic Cancer diagnosis. “Adding the support component to our education and funding research strategy has really made the organization more well-rounded,” Lisa noted, adding, “It allows us to be more involved in actually helping people as they’re going through this journey.”

More recently, Lisa helped to develop Rolfe’s “Know Your Risk” awareness campaign and worksheet to educate people on the genetic risk factors related to Pancreatic Cancer. “Making that connection between certain familial medical conditions that might have comorbidity with Pancreatic Cancer was a really meaningful step to shifting people’s mindset and taking this into their own hands,” Lisa said.

 

Reflections On The Past, Hopes For The Future

Looking back, Lisa is proud that Rolfe has had an impact on so many patients and their families, offering support, guidance and needed resources. Additionally, it has become a way for people to give back so that others facing Pancreatic Cancer don’t have to go through this difficult journey alone. “One of the things that really stands out about the Foundation is its ability to be a connector of people in such a personal and meaningful way,” Lisa noted.

Lisa’s vision for Rolfe’s next 25 years is clear: “To find a cure! Or, until that time, an early detection test that gives people a warning sign so they can do something—take medication, change their lifestyle, etc.—so they don’t have to fight Pancreatic Cancer.”

 

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