Pancreatic Cancer Ambassadors 114 SEENA MAGOWITZ FOUNDATION NATALIE SABGA Her Husband’s Legacy, The John E. Sabga Foundation JULIA BRABANT | CONTRI BUTI NG WRITER

SEENA MAGOWITZ FOUNDATION 115 Pancreatic Cancer Ambassadors It’s a tear-jerking line from a top-ranked TV show, but it’s also the best way to describe how Trinidad & Tobago’s Natalie Sabga dealt with her husband John’s 2017 passing from pancreatic cancer. John’s brave battle against the disease brought him to Florida, Texas, Arizona, and, ultimately, home to Trinidad, and while it all happened fast – within about 10 months, in fact – Natalie saw to it that John’s legacy would leave a lasting impact well into the future. After his diagnosis, John began undergoing treatment in Florida, not far from where his mother lived. A friend from Trinidad contacted the family, marking the first time John and Natalie heard the name Dr. Daniel Von Hoff. “You must go to this doctor,” he’d insisted, but John had several treatments in the works already and wanted to give things a try in Florida. His treatments had mixed results, and his oncologist referred him to MD Anderson in Texas, where he attempted to join a clinical trial. To his disappointment, there were none available. John and Natalie, meanwhile, had been researching the Arizona oncologist the family friend told them about and decided to pay him a visit. “The moment we walked into the clinic at Honor - Health Research Institute, we immediately knew we had finally come to the right place,” Natalie recalled, noting that another pancreatic cancer patient, Phil Zeblisky, was sitting in the waiting room. “We had been reading about Phil’s success with Dr. Von Hoff, and John’s eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store, in - troducing himself and asking him so many questions about pancreatic cancer. We were just in awe of Phil.” Initially, Natalie and John saw Dr. Borazanci, who assured them that nothing happened at the facility without Dr. Von Hoff knowing about it. The doctor affectionately known as “Dr. B” said he believed John might be a candidate for the “Grand Slam,” a five-drug regimen, and he promised the pair they’d meet Dr. Von Hoff one day soon. With renewed hope and energy, John started treat - ment, and within about three weeks, John and Natalie finally met the “famous doctor.” To their surprise, not only was this world-renowned physician incredibly humble, but he had also somehow amassed an entire staff that had the same drive, compassion and com - mitment he possessed. At the time, though, John’s health was declining fast, and he ultimately decided he wasn’t going to continue treatment. He wanted to return to his beloved home - land. Cathy Mast, his physician’s assistant, placed a call to Dr. Von Hoff, who was supposed to be traveling to San Francisco with Dr. Borazanci for a conference. Delayed due to weather, Dr. Von Hoff forfeited the trip and promptly appeared at the hospital to see John. The Sabgas realized this gesture was unprecedented, so it was a special moment for John and the family when he arrived. Natalie remembers how he praised John for his strength and courage, reassuring him he made the right decision. “You’ve taught me so much in the short time I’ve known you,” Natalie recalls him saying. “This is when you realize how much empathy this man has for people.” John succumbed to pancreatic cancer Jan. 26, 2017. In the weeks to follow, Natalie returned to Arizona to close their apartment, and she stopped by “Take the sourest lemon life has to offer and turn it into something that resembles lemonade.”