HIGHLAND PARK – At 70, Levita “Cissy” Zucker ate healthy and worked out with a trainer every day. No one ever thought that her abdominal pain would lead to a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
“Because my mom was in such great shape her doctor, Hedy Kindler at the University of Chicago, told her that she couldn’t cure pancreatic cancer or make it go away, but she would get her to her 50th anniversary — and she did it,” said Zucker-Sheinkop.
Zucker-Sheinkop explained that her mom’s battle with pancreatic cancer began in the fall of 2006, and she succumbed to the disease in 2009, but never gave up hope.
“The day hospice came to our house, Mom put on her make-up and her Lululemon jogging outfit,” said Zucker-Sheinkop. “My mom was such a fighter, and she refused to give up, which is why I think I refuse to give up. She raised three daughters and all three of us were very close to her.”
Zucker-Sheinkop is one of 30 board members of the Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. The foundation honors not only Michael Rolfe’s memory, who passed away in 1999 two weeks after his diagnosis, but the memory of all the family and friends its members and supporters have lost to this horrible disease.
Celebrate Hope co-chair Rachel Zucker-Sheinkop and her late mom Levita “Cissy” Zucker still looking glamorous while undergoing clinical trials for pancreatic cancer; photo courtesy of Rachel Zucker-Sheinkop
The Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for the early detection and ultimate cure of pancreatic cancer.
Zucker-Sheinkop is co-chairing Celebrate Hope: A Night to Dance, Drink and Make a Difference on Saturday, August 5 at 210 Restaurant & Live Music Lounge in Highwood. Her co-chair is Brian Blitz from Highland Park. He lost his father-in-law to pancreatic cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, for all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the one-year relative survival rate is 20 percent and the five-year rate is seven percent.
Blitz’s friend Derek Faust was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at 41, after he had been experiencing abdominal pain for several weeks. Upon further testing, he was told that he wasn’t a candidate for surgery, and was given a year and a half to two years to live.
After 12 rounds of chemotherapy over six months, Faust’s doctor, Matt Adess, said he was going to get him to surgery, and he kept his word. The road ahead was still difficult, as he went through 28 sessions of radiation with an oral chemotherapy, but today he has no cancer present in his body.
Faust said he could not have beaten this disease without his foundation of friends and family and exceptional medical team.
Adess, medical director at NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center at Highland Park Hospital, said Celebrate Hope is an important event for the community.
“I have seen more cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed in friends and parents in the last few years,” said Adess. “It is vitally important to continue the mission of early detection and better treatment so our community can have the best care and the best possible outcomes.”
Adess will speak at Celebrate Hope about some of the tests that are on the forefront to help people like Faust lead a fulfilling life which is especially important, because a young North Shore man in his 30’s was recently diagnosed, said Zucker-Sheinkop.
Zucker-Sheinkop said there are two people on the Rolfe Foundation Board who survived pancreatic cancer, because they were able to have surgery before the cancer spread.
She explained that pancreatic cancer patients can call the Rolfe Foundation and the office helps schedule doctors’ appointments, provides genetic counseling and nutritional guidelines.
“Brian and I decided that we were going to name the event Celebrate Hope, because there will be people there with pancreatic cancer and we felt that it’s important that we celebrate hope in fighting this disease, but we need action,” said Zucker-Sheinkop.
The inaugural Celebrate Hope event will be held 210 Restaurant & Live Music Lounge. “It’s the No. 1 music venue on the North Shore with a fun and eclectic ambiance,” said Zucker-Sheinkop. “The outstanding band Deju Vu will be performing cover songs.”
There will be a raffle, and Lauren Jiggets, an Emmy-award winning anchor and reporter for WGN Morning News will be the auctioneer.
“The restaurants and stores in Highland Park, Deerfield and all of the North Shore suburbs really stepped up and were very supportive,” she added.
The menu will feature passed and plated appetizers, an open bar with top shelf liquor, and “the best desserts ever,” which include Carol’s Cookies, Dairy Queen Blizzards and movie theater candy.
As a special treat while the band takes a break, Brendan Cooney, a graffiti and contemporary urban artist, will create two paintings in about 20 minutes, and the paintings will be auctioned off.
“We want Celebrate Hope to be uplifting, not the gloom and doom that cancer brings, because we know that people are fighting tooth and nail to be with their families and to be on this planet,” said Zucker-Sheinkop.
Tickets for Celebrate Hope are on sale at www.Rolfefoundation.org. and will also be sold at the door.
Derek Faust, pancreatic cancer survivor and a speaker at Celebrate Hope; Brian Blitz co-chair of Celebrate Hope; photo courtesy of Celebrate Hope
Rachel Zucker-Sheinkop; with husband Michael Zucker; her late mom Levita “Cissy” Zucker; and dad Sheldon Zucker