Julie West

A 911 Emergency Center may seem like an unlikely place to form friendships, but that’s where Julie West met Juan Morga in 1998. Together with their co-worker, Tremayne Price, the fast friends hung out after work, went bowling, met for drinks, and enjoyed time together. “Juan was always the first to give you a smile and always had a good word to say. He loved everybody and loved life — that’s just how he was,” Julie recalled.

Juan’s Battle with Pancreatic Cancer 

In January 2014, after experiencing stomach pains for a few weeks, Juan went to see his doctor. Julie recalls the bitterly cold day when he shared his Pancreatic Cancer diagnosis. Although the prognosis was grim, he remained upbeat and determined to fight.

Juan began chemotherapy in Chicago and traveled to Johns Hopkins Medical Center to meet with doctors there. Despite his determination and positive outlook, he passed away six months later, just four weeks after his 42^ndbirthday. “We were in our early forties, and the idea that someone our age could die from cancer was very sobering,” Julie noted. “We were devastated to lose him.”

Celebrating Juan at DASH for Detection 

Tremayne learned about Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation’s DASH for Detection the following year, and the friends formed Team Walk for Juan. What started as a small group has grown, and now includes colleagues, friends, and family, including Juan’s parents, Alicia and Moses. “There is such a great energy at DASH, and we love to be there with the Rolfe community, having fun on the lakefront,” Julie commented.

Julie is passionate about fighting this disease, having also lost her grandmother and cousin to Pancreatic Cancer. “I think everybody is going to have been touched by this particular cancer at least once in their lives, which is why getting involved helps heal my heart a little bit. If coming out for a few hours to walk can fund more research, maybe we can prevent others from losing their loved ones.”

It has been more than a decade since Juan’s death, and the team continues to reunite for DASH. “Being at DASH every year is a way to honor and remember Juan because he left such a legacy. He is our catalyst to get out there and try to make a difference.”

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