Ronda is a Registered Nurse who has been an active member of NCAN since 2010, working tirelessly at many events. In 2010 she was diagnosed with pNET (Primitive neuroectodermal tumor) and underwent a Whipple operation (Pancreaticoduodenectomy).
She founded the Whipple Warriors, a non-profit organization for anyone who has had, or will have, the Whipple and their caregivers. She works tirelessly to bring attention to the Whipple Warriors, making numerous TV appearances and interviews on their behalf. As she likes to say, “No one will have to undergo a Whipple alone ever again.” Ronda has grown this organization to become the largest Whipple organization in the world, with members from 49 states and more than 20 countries. Her success has earned her Honorable Mention from the United States Congress, and the 2012 Heroes in Medicine award from the Palm Beach, FL County Medical Society.
Ronda has worked with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and is a published author of Long-Term Quality of Life and Gastrointestinal Functional Outcomes after Pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study will be presented at the 2018 American Surgical Association annual meeting in Phoenix, AZ.