At The Dr. Brent Ohl Strong Pancreatic Cancer Support and Awareness Endowment Fund, we believe that no one should face pancreatic cancer alone. Our mission is to provide financial support to pancreatic cancer patients of the Quad Cities and surrounding areas to help empower and uplift those impacted by this disease. Through compassionate support, community education, and unwavering advocacy, we strive to ensure that 100% of pancreatic cancer patients in our region feel informed, connected, and cared for. Together, we can create a brighter future filled with hope and awareness… because every journey deserves strength, support, and a voice.
Our team of volunteers consists of nurses, social workers, friends, pancreatic cancer patients and their families, business professionals, teachers and Brent’s family. We are a committed group of individuals who strive to meet our mission year after year.
Peggy Ohl
Mom of two sons (Tom and Charlie) and Widow of the late Brent Ohl.
When Brent was sick, for a very short 4 ½ months, he and I were blown away by the outpouring of love and support that was shown to us by so many, many people. Countless people sent him cards, gifts, made meals, prayed, organized a fundraiser, and offered to help with the many responsibilities involved with our two young boys. At the time, I could not comprehend everything that was happening, but Brent and I felt so much kindness and love towards us. Brent handled it all with amazing grace. Watching my 48 years old husband suffer physically and then emotionally deal with what was happening was incomprehensible. To this day it’s still almost unbearable to think back to and remember.
After I lost Brent, I wrote a lot of thank you notes and while doing so, it made me reflect upon all that was offered to us. I quietly promised myself that I would never, ever forget the generosity of so many people. I felt like I owed it to Brent too, to never forget.
A few months after his death, several amazing nurses Brent worked with: Catie Binneboese, Kristi Murray and Dianne Bliss, who are still part of our team to this day, organized Stroll for Ohl, a walk/run fundraiser for PanCan. They raised several thousand dollars and donated that money, in Brent’s name, to PanCan, a national organization that raises awareness and money for pancreatic cancer research.
Over the next year I started attending some of the meetings with these nurses and I was moved by their energy and passion and it became apparent to me, that I needed to be a part of what they were doing. I realized, I could not do anything other than move forward and be a part of the amazing energy and love Brent left behind. We all agreed to start the Dr. Brent Ohl Strong Pancreatic Cancer Support and Awareness Committee and it has evolved to what it is today.
Amy Powell
I am an interior designer at Diamond Builders in Long Grove, IA. I have been married to my husband, John, for 26 years and we have 2 children. Emma is 23 and lives and works in Dubuque, IA and Zach is 18 and will be attending the University of Dubuque to study criminal justice and play football.
I have been a member of the Ohl Strong committee since it’s inception. My son, Zach, and Brent and Peggy’s son, Charlie, have grown up together, played sports on the same teams, and John and Brent coached the boys together. I have enjoyed working with all of our committee members, but especially enjoy our tailgate events. It gives us a chance to all be together and meet our recipients face to face. I revel in all of their stories and continue to be astonished by the strength that each of them show. They are true fighters, and I will continue to fight with them.
I joined the Dr. Brent Ohl Pancreatic Cancer Support and Awareness Committee in November of 2016. I am married to my husband John, of 22 years, we have two children, Emma and Zach, and we live in Eldridge, IA. My family has been friends with the Ohl’s since Zach and Charlie were in kindergarten. When Brent left us, I saw Peggy’s passion to keep Brent’s memory alive and to help others going the same thing that she and her children had just endured. Her passion was contagious. I saw what she had been through and wanted to help other families who are forced to take the pancreatic cancer journey. Each year we have tried to add some piece of support or awareness about pancreatic cancer to our efforts. We may not be able to cure
pancreatic cancer yet, but we want to let those families know that we are there for them and we are thinking of them.
K. Daniel DeVries
Owner Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home, Davenport
· I am a lifetime resident of Davenport; I have four children, Samuel 20, Patrick 18, Jonathan 16, and Isabel “Izzy” 14; and three dogs, Stella, Ted and Bernie!
· I was invited to join the Ohl Strong Team by Peggy and have been active for nearly nine-years. She and I met at the time of Brent’s death. Previously, I was fortunate to meet Brent and his father Steve at one of each of our kid’s baseball games. We quickly became acquainted and established an immediate connection; that was unfortunately cut short.
· What I cherish most about my involvement in Ohl Strong is the opportunity to experience and witness the hope we help provide to those who have been diagnosed and to their families. We see that we are changing one life at a time.
Karen M. Rathjen
Self employed as a Licensed Massage Therapist for the last 21 years at Eldridge Spine and Wellness in Eldridge, IA.
I volunteered with Peggy Ohl, Mary Macumber Schmidt, Dan DeVries and Amy Powell at a North Scott Chambers Golf outing on behalf of the Ohl Strong one year, and have helped and volunteer with the committee for the annual event since for 4 years now.
My favorite thing about volunteering with the Ohl Strong Foundation is to help others and bring awareness to Pancreatic Cancer.
Tom Ohl
Son of the late Brent Ohl. I lost my dad when I was just 12 years old. I am currently in college pursing a Major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry at the University of Iowa. I work part time during the school year and full time in the summer as an Academic Research Assistant in the University of Iowa Cancer Center. I am hoping to fulfil my dream to become a doctor one day.
I graduated from North Scott High School where I loved playing football, wrestling and soccer. I was a member of the National Honor Society. I’ve helped set up and clean-up for the yearly Ohl Strong fundraiser since it started. I also love opportunities to work on digital creativity projects with Ohl Strong, as well as being a VIP recipient greeter at the yearly fundraiser. I was able to make the circles of names around the logo for the 2024 Ohl Strong merchandise.
Charlie Ohl
I am the youngest son of the late Brent Ohl. I lost my dad when I was just 9 years old. I am a graduate of the North Scott High School and am attending the University of Iowa with a Major in Chemistry. I have a goal of becoming a doctor and specializing in Radiology.
I played football, wrestled and played soccer in high school. I was a member of the National Honor Society. I’ve helped set up and clean-up for the yearly Ohl Strong fundraiser since it started. I created the post cards that are sent out in packets to recipients to give consent to have their names on our shirts. I will be helping as a VIP recipient greeter going forward.
Jayne Behal
1. Retired from Lee Enterprises as a Senior Finance director
2. Jayne has been married to Tom for 11 years. He sells residential for Mel Foster. They have a blended family of four daughters and one son. Together they have six grandchildren, two boys and four girls. All live in the quad cities but one daughter in LA.
3. Jayne got involved with Ohl Strong first because Peggy and Brent were our friends. Our extended family was affected by pancreatic cancer because of my sister Gwen’s family and a dear friend Liz and a very dear friend of Sister Susie’s Marian.
Our family believes in volunteering, and when it involves a great cause, even better. This group feels like a family
Susie Stark
1. Retired math teacher from JB Young, Davenport West and Rock Island High School. She now tutors math for many students as well.
2. Russ and Susie have been married for 41 years. They have a son and daughter-in-law that live in Denver with a son and daugher and a son and daughter-in-law in Blue Grass with two boys, Russ is a retired electrician.
3. Susie has been involved with OHL strong for two years when one of her best friends, Marian, had pancreatic cancer. Susie has an ambitious side that is a huge benefit to raise funds for the event through many silent auction items. Susie enjoys working with a great group of people for an important cause
Sara Kirby-Braack
I joined the Ohl Strong Team after losing my dad to pancreatic cancer in 2020. I was contacted by Peggy and Amy who reached out supporting our family as they heard of my dad’s diagnosis and passing. Peggy and Amy were exactly what our family needed…… They were there with care, comfort and compassion as we shared our story to others who lived it, experienced emotions similar to ours and seemed to understand. It was like a “giant hug” sent from my dad as they sat with our family while listening and sharing.
My mission is to stand behind Peggy and Brent and help raise awareness, build a support system, and continue to help raise funding for patients and their loved ones.
Judy Kirby
Mom to four daughters, Grandma to eight and Widow of the late Roger Kirby, recipient of the Ohl Strong Gift . Retired RN
Joined the Ohl Strong Team after losing my husband of 54 years to pancreatic cancer in 2020. Roger lived only two months and two days after hearing those words. Peggy and Amy from the Ohl Strong Team came to our home after his passing to visit me, our daughter and her two young sons who live nearby. It was a bonding like no other. The compassion shown, the caring and the awareness of our feelings were so heartfelt. It was overwhelming as to what that visit meant to me and to all of our family as I shared the experience with them. I knew immediately that this was a group that I wanted to involve myself with in any way I could to promote awareness of this disease and to help raise monetary funding for the patients and their loved ones to use through their journey. To be able to give back and help others in our community travel the same path that we once did was what I needed to do.
Wayne and Tara Brimeyer
We are Wayne and Tara Brimeyer. I work as an Operations Manager and Tara is an accountant running Brimeyer Bookkeeping. We’ve been married since 2002 and have 3 wonderful kids, 2 young men and a daughter.
Like everyone, we’ve had our share of challenges over the years. However, the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in June of 2021 has been one of the hardest. As a recipient, the support from the Ohl Strong Organization has been such a tremendous help to us that we felt we had to give back and joined the team in 2022.
My favorite part of the Ohl Strong group would be the passion put into helping those affected by pancreatic cancer. It’s a mission we are honored to share.
Catie Binneboese
I had the pleasure of working my first job alongside Dr. Ohl as a nurse in the Operating Room, and we immediately bonded over memories of Miles Inn and eating their famous “Charlie Boy” sandwich, a Sioux City delicacy. Myself not being from the Quad Cities and not having family in this area, his sense of humor and constant consideration for others reminded me of my family, making every day easier while adapting to my new job and location.
When I found out his diagnosis, it was a shock not only to me, but to the entire Operating Room team. I soon realized the impact that he had made on me, he had made on everyone he came into contact with. I became part of the Ohl Strong Team because Dr. Ohl deserves to be remembered for who he was and how positive of an impact he made on those around him. And now our team gets to do that for him!
Dianne Bliss
Mother of a son and a daughter, Grandmother of 4, and widow of the late Mike Bliss.
I have been involved with the Dr. Brent Ohl Pancreatic Cancer Support and Awareness Committee for six years. I worked with Dr. Ohl at Trinity and often remark how much he reminded me of my late husband, who also died of cancer. Dr. Ohl always had a joke, a listening ear, and was very caring. He was extremely sympathetic when my husband passed away. I became involved in Ohl Strong in 2017 as a way to help other local families who walked a similar path. I have served the community for 44 years as an RN and see this foundation as another outlet for my caregiving nature. I have watched Peggy’s vision come to life as we strive to support local families dealing with pancreatic cancer.
This group of people have become friends and a way for me to be with people as a widow. They also have been so supportive as I am going through my own battle with cancer.
Kristi Murray
GI Nurse at UnityPoint Trinity
I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Ohl for several years. He was a special, caring physician, so it was a natural thing for me to want to be involved in helping others, somehow in his memory, from the very beginning. I was involved in the initial fundraiser, Stroll for Ohl.
After some time, Peggy reached out about an opportunity for my business to provide a financial donation, as she was trying to get Ohl Strong off the ground. I didn’t hesitate with my answer of yes.
So, I participate on the committee and provide financial support because, Brent and my initial interaction, the love that Peggy and his boys have for their husband/father, and the belief that we at Ohl Strong can make a difference in the life of one person and their family at one of the most difficult times in their lives.