Throughout the ups and downs in life, Mary Jo Burkhard of Howell has never underestimated the power of a meaningful hug. The 71-year-old Navy veteran and former Brookdale Community College administrator doled them out in good measure over the past 18 months as her family, friends and the CentraState team supported her in a battle requiring determination and spirit – two of the many qualities she exudes.
When Mary Jo experienced sudden chest and lower back pain that wouldn’t subside, she thought she was having a heart attack. But testing at CentraState’s Emergency Department revealed a nearly 3-inch mass on her pancreas that proved to be cancerous. Hepatobiliary and advanced gastrointestinal surgeon Alexander Itskovich, MD, medical director of the Statesir Cancer Center at CentraState, assured her that the team could implement a strong treatment plan.
“I thought to myself, I’m good here,” recalls Mary Jo, who instantly connected with Dr. Itskovich. “Everyone communicated with each other, and I liked that part.”
Due to the size of her tumor, she first underwent chemotherapy under the care of medical oncologist Bhavesh Balar, MD. The approach was successful in shrinking the tumor by half, putting her in a better position for surgery – a procedure that would still be extremely complex.
Highly Technical Surgery
Mary Jo’s pancreatic tumor was very close to other organs and her portal vein, which carries blood from many abdominal organs to the liver. To capture all of the tumor, Dr. Itskovich removed 60% of Mary Jo’s pancreas, her spleen and parts of her colon, stomach, diaphragm and portal vein during the nine-hour surgery. He also performed an ileostomy procedure to temporarily change the way waste is removed from the body.
“Many surgeons would have looked at the tumor and considered it inoperable, especially given the involvement of the portal vein,” says Dr. Itskovich. “CentraState is one of only a few institutions in New Jersey that can handle this level of surgery. Patients don’t need to travel to New York or Philadelphia for exceptional surgical care.”
The Recovery Journey
During a two-week stay in CentraState’s ICU and Step-Down units, Mary Jo was cared for by a team skilled in the complexities of recovery – from pain management to inpatient rehabilitation. To ensure the best possible outcome, she underwent additional chemotherapy along with radiation therapy under the care of radiation oncologist Edward Soffen, MD. Once she had ample time to recover, Dr. Itskovich performed surgery that reversed the ileostomy, enabling her bowels to function normally. Now, imaging scans show no signs of cancer.
Throughout it all, nothing deterred her sense of humor or spirit – from dancing the “Cha-Cha Slide” with her walker during physical therapy to cracking jokes with the care team.
“This type of journey isn’t easy, but Mary Jo is so full of life and has an incredible strength of character to take on even the toughest challenges,” says Dr. Itskovich. “So much of medicine has to do with the human spirit, and she has a spark that’s infectious. Everyone in the room gains energy through her presence.”
Mary Jo pours that energy into many forms of service. Her 28-year role in advocating for veterans with the American Legion has included serving as State Department Vice Commander, Monmouth County Commander and First Vice Commander for Neptune Post 266 during treatment, and she presently maintains local leadership roles. In volunteering for Find a Grave, she conducts ancestry research to help people locate the final resting places of loved ones. She has participated in the Philadelphia and New York City Veterans Day parades and spoke at a pancreatic cancer fundraiser this past fall. She’s also very involved with her family, including her four adult children and four grandchildren.
“My motto during treatment was, ‘If I can do it, I will; if I can’t, I won’t,’” explains Mary Jo, who knows to listen to what the body is saying. “My experience in the military gave me a unique kind of strength; you have to be ready for anything and watch out for your compatriots. My compatriots were all behind me when I was sick, and I’m thankful to the CentraState team for their help in this battle. I love them all.”
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