Dr. Jill Pechacek Gifted Us With Unrelenting Inspiration

DR. JILL PECHACEK. A CHERISHED LEGACY.

Roger E. Magowitz
January 3. 2018

With deep sorrow we lost a most courageous warrior. Charismatic in every respect. A smile that would brighten anyone’s day. Kindness and compassion that would enlighten every soul. I had the pleasure of attending Jill’s Celebration of Life on earth. The services left me with magical and majestic feelings as I witnessed an almost endless flow of loved-ones and friends that came together to share the treasured memories, joyful stories, and the positive impact she made on everyone she touched. The blessings she gifted to those she always collectively referred to as “her village”.

Most never knew Jill’s story. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the young age 25 just before her last semester of medical school. With unrestrained will and courage she not only defeated this cancer but enjoyed an acclaimed career as a family physician and went on to have three lovely children: Two sons, Hawk and Brooks and daughter Hope.

Unfortunately about eight years after the birth of her youngest child, Jill’s life again became interrupted in September, 2014 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer that had invaded her liver. She was told she had but a few months to live. With boundless courage to live, it wasn’t just about her but her children. She embarked on a mission to find doctors and a clinical trial which led to Dr. Daniel Von Hoff of TGen and Dr. Erkut Borazanci of the HonorHealth Research Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona.

During her cancer treatments she became a motivational speaker to inspire other patients of what’s truly important in life is having faith and hope. That each new day is a gift of being around people you love and those who love, support and encourage you. Her mantra was “God’s Got This”. Living well beyond her original prognosis of having just months to live, she was blessed with almost three and a half years of life until God ultimately chose to take her home to heaven.

We were so fortunate to have Dr Jill as one of our speakers at the Seena Magowitz Foundation event in Boston this past August, 2017. We all discovered a person that was so inspiring and magnetically connected to her audience. Her silent courage and charisma captured the moments. Just knowing Jill was truly a blessing.

She left us with the a stronger will to fight hard to win this battle. Instilling within us even greater courage , hope, and tenacity to stay the course to eradicate pancreatic cancer. She gifted all of us with unrelenting inspiration. Jill and her passion for life will surely be missed. But she left a legacy for us to embrace. We can make her proud by carrying that legacy forward until this brutal disease is defeated.

~ Roger E. Magowitz, Seena Magowitz Foundation