A book-signing, luncheon, and speech with actress and author Lisa Niemi Swayze raised nearly $250,000 for patient care and pancreatic cancer research at the Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute at Memorial University Medical Center. The November 19 “Worth Fighting for a Cure” event was held at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa and was chaired by Toby Hollenberg. It was one of the ACI’s largest fundraisers ever.

The program featured film industry veteran Lisa Niemi Swayze, author of the book Worth Fighting For, which chronicles her final months with her husband of 34 years, the late actor Patrick Swayze. Swayze fought a very public battle with pancreatic cancer and died in 2009. Now, Lisa Niemi Swayze is the national spokesperson for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, working to bring attention to this particularly deadly form of cancer.

The event also featured grateful patient Jeff Kole, president of Kole Management Company, a Savannah-based and family-owned property management and investment firm.  Kole, is 55 years old and is a pancreatic cancer survivor. He has been cancer-free for more than four years.