Wellness Wednesday with Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

Chris Rosandich, MS, Nutrition and Wellness Manager, Cancer Wellness Center, has a master’s degree in Health & Nutrition Education from Hawthorn University and holds additional certifications, including Plant Based Nutrition from Cornell University and Nutrition and Cancer from Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Christine’s passion is to work with various people, including those with cancer, to help them develop a foundation for optimal health. Inflammation is a natural part of our body's healing process. While occasional inflammation flare-ups are beneficial by indicating our immune system is actively healing our bodies, persistent or chronic inflammation may signal underlying health concerns that require attention. Chris provides a refresher on this highly-watched series, including the harmful impact of sugar, ways to boost immunity through healthy digestion, and easy food swaps for a healthier diet. Then, she tackles inflammation, sharing: • Causes of inflammation, and why it’s so dangerous • Strategies to reduce inflammation, increase energy, and relieve brain fog • Signs of chronic inflammation • Natural ways to reduce chronic Inflammation • Simple meal strategies to make eating an anti-inflammatory diet simple

Featuring Dr. Martha L. Twaddle,MD, FACP, FAAHPM, HMDC

Challenging and emotional conversations become the norm after a cancer diagnosis, so it’s essential to surround yourself with a broad team to educate and guide you while also making you feel comfortable and supported. This is especially true when exploring and planning for palliative and hospice services.

Join Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and Cancer Wellness Center in a candid discussion with Dr. Martha L. Twaddle, the Medical Director for Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care at Northwestern Medicine. Dr. Twaddle will help us:

• Explore the differences between palliative care and hospice care.

• Understand when it is time to plan for care options.

• Three key questions you should ask providers in setting up care. • Ways in which family members can also receive support during this difficult time.

Featuring Kelsey Mora, LCPC, CCLS, Chief Clinical Officer of Pickles Group
Being on the receiving end of a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and confusing for most adults. Depending on the ages of their children, these emotions are often amplified and coupled with a fear of the unknown. Learning how to speak with children about this sensitive topic and what the right amount of information to share is crucial.

In this month’s Wellness Wednesday, we’ll talk with Kelsey Mora, a Certified Child Life Specialist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and the Chief Clinical Officer of Pickles Group who will share:

• Evidence-based data on kids facing parental cancer
• 3 guiding principles to frame tough conversations
• Appropriate developmental responses
• The importance of honesty, listening, validating, and reassuring

About the Speaker
Kelsey Mora, Chief Clinical Officer of Pickles Group, is a Certified Child Life Specialist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor specializing in guiding parents and caregivers on how to best support their children and adolescents with illness and grief. Kelsey uses a personal approach to create opportunities to help youth make connections, and increase coping and communication throughout a cancer experience.

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Featuring Chris Rosandich, MS, Nutrition and Wellness Manager, Cancer Support Center
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be challenging or boring. Simple switches can make a big impact on your everyday life. And would you believe a balanced diet can actually be tasty AND fun?
Join us for March’s Wellness Wednesday, where we'll continue our "cancer-fighting diet" series with Chris Rosandich, the Cancer Support Center’s Nutrition and Wellness Manager, who will share easy diet swaps for a healthier lifestyle, including:
· Why it's so hard to make healthy diet changes.
· Two reasons why healthy lifestyle attempts fail.
· Quick and healthy ingredient swaps.
· How to make sweet and salty treats better for you.
About the Speaker
Chris Rosandich, MS, Nutrition and Wellness Manager, Cancer Wellness Center, has a master’s degree in Health & Nutrition Education from Hawthorn University and holds additional certifications, including Plant Based Nutrition from Cornell University and Nutrition and Cancer from Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Christine’s passion is to work with various people, including those with cancer, to help them develop a foundation for optimal health.

Did you know that 80% of New Year’s Resolutions are broken by February? The key is to shift away from these one-off goals and move toward creating a series of habits and systems that work best for you. It’s proven that these incremental changes can lead to a major impact on your life.

Join us as we kick off the New Year with Lily Horowitz from The Core Method sharing tips on gaining strength in everyday life. Combining core, balance, power, and posture, Lily shows how they work together to connect your body with your mind. You’ll learn:

• Simple, daily exercises to strengthen your core (hint: it’s not about having a 6-pack)
• How to be connected to, and properly engage your body through Pilates
• Tips, tricks, and advice to make this doable whether you’re going through chemo, treatment, or not.

About the speaker:
Lily Horowitz is a leading certified Pilates instructor with over 30 years of experience in the fitness industry. She is a Core Guru and the founder and creator of The Core Method®️ in Northbrook Il and has devoted her life to helping clients get strong from the inside out.

Each year, Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation awards a number of grants supporting scientific research and patient family services. By awarding grants, we champion early detection research that will:

•  Encourage innovative research
• Improve outcomes in pancreatic cancer detection
• Uncover groundbreaking treatments
• Supports patients and families in the day-to-day

This Wellness Wednesday features Rolfe grantee, Lustgarten Foundation, with a video showcasing new technologies to drive better outcomes in early detection

Black Americans are at an increased risk for pancreatic cancer, with an incidence rate that’s 67% higher than any other ethnic or racial group in the United States. (National Cancer Institute) Pancreatic cancer isn’t the only ailment affecting people of color at higher rates.

Join Rolfe as we partner with the Cancer Wellness Center in a candid discussion with Dr. Matthew Dixon, a hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon from Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Dixon will address this disparity issue and share details about the latest advancements in pancreatic surgical practices. You’ll learn:
• Common factors contributing to this disparity
• Why increased communication with at-risk groups matters
• How advancements in pancreatic surgery are affecting patients
• What questions patients should ask their medical team

Featuring Dr. Matthew Dixon, Hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon, Rush University Medical Center

About the Speaker
Matthew Dixon, MDFACS, FSSO, is a Hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon with Rush University Medical Center. He has a passion and interest in the clinical treatment of patients with cancers of the liver, metastatic disease of the liver (such as metastatic colorectal cancer), benign liver tumors, bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic cysts, neuroendocrine tumors and other types of rare pancreatic tumors.

If these past few years have shown us anything, it is the importance of slowing down to tune out the chaos of the world around us. For too long now, being “busy” has been celebrated and glamorized, when, in reality, sleep, relaxation, and time with family and friends should be praised. Burnout is not a badge of honor.

Join us as we welcome retired pathologist, yoga instructor, and health coach, Nadine Pierre Kelly—NPK—as she leads us through:
· Guided relaxation
· Accessible meditation
· Breathwork that is accessible to our entire community

We’ll follow up with a discussion about how to cultivate wellness at the intersection of authenticity and compassion.

About the Speaker
Nadine Pierre Kelly, otherwise known as NPK, is a retired medical doctor (pathologist), experienced registered yoga teacher, American Council of Exercise health coach, Akimbo workshops head coach, contributor to Medscape, first-degree Taekwondo black belt, and a Health Integration Coach with NPK Health Integration.

Everything can seem overwhelming when you or a loved one has just received a cancer diagnosis. Time is of the essence, and it is important to be able to quickly gather the information and medical advice you need to make the best treatment decisions for your care. 

Roslyn Turner, a licensed clinical social worker, takes us step-by-step—from understanding and processing the diagnosis to ways to be able to move forward. In this candid conversation, Roslyn will share: 

• Essential questions to ask your medical team 
• Why second opinions can be critical to your care 
• Support resources available to you and your family 
• Options for financial assistance

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For more information about Rolfe, Wellness Wednesday or Dena Goldberg visit: https://tinyurl.com/WWednes 

Pancreatic cancer is a genetic disease caused by changes, or mutations, in our DNA. These changes can be inherited (we’re born with them) or acquired (develop after birth), explaining why pancreatic cancer runs in some families. In fact, those with a family history are more likely to have an inherited gene mutation that increases their risk for pancreatic cancer. So how do we best educate and protect ourselves about our genetic risks?  

Join us as we welcome back Dena Goldberg, Genetic Counselor and Founder of DenaDNA and Malibu Genetics Concierge as she takes a deeper dive into the genes and genetics syndromes associated with pancreatic cancer. Dena will discuss:  

- The 20 most critical genes with variants that increase the risk for pancreatic cancer  

- How inheritable germline mutation differs from having a family history of pancreatic cancer  

- Testing and screening programs to assess risk  

- Why understanding your risk is essential  

About the Speaker:  Dena Goldberg is a licensed and board-certified Genetics Counselor located in Los Angeles. She was the Gordon and Betty Moore Endowed Counselor of Hereditary GI Cancer Prevention at the University of California, San Francisco, where she specialized in gastrointestinal cancer, polyposis, and pancreatitis syndromes. Dena was also part of the UC Pancreas Consortium and is a member of the Collaborative Group of the Americas for Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancers (CGA-IGC).   Dena left her clinical role to work full-time on DenaDNA to spread awareness of medical genetics through media and marketing techniques not typically used by the medical community.