Our Story
A beloved patient.
A remarkable doctor.
A rare friendship.
Who Was Craig?
Craig Vittitoe was a man who lived at full throttle. The son of a Marine, he eventually traded a nomadic childhood for a deep-rooted life in Long Beach, where he became a devoted husband and father, "Poppa" to eight, and a mentor to countless others.
His sunny personality meant he never met a stranger. And he never did anything halfway.
Whether he was teaching nearly 100 kids to water ski or learning a new skill, Craig’s energy was contagious. He approached everything—meals, competition, new challenges—with unmatched enthusiasm.
Even during a nearly four-year battle with pancreatic cancer, his focus remained outward—on his faith, his family, and the people around him.
The Vittitoe Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund was created to honor that tenacity and carry forward the relentless love of life that defined him.
The Diagnosis
In June 2021 at age 71, Craig was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer— a devastating reality for more than 67,000 Americans every year.
For six months leading up to his diagnosis, Craig searched for answers as his health declined. He experienced severe heartburn, significant weight loss, and worsening symptoms as the cancer progressed undetected.
For most patients diagnosed at this stage, the median survival is less than one year.
Craig’s own father passed away just eleven days after receiving the same diagnosis.
Craig lived nearly four more years.
What Made His Journey Different
Craig’s story was not typical and understanding why is at the heart of our mission.
The Journey: Three Key Differences
1
Speed to Treatment
Most patients wait weeks, or even months, to begin treatment.
Craig started within one week.
This was made possible by the multidisciplinary clinic at Cedars-Sinai, led by Dr. Arsen Osipov. Since Craig’s time, they have developed their “same-day” model that compresses what normally takes weeks into a single day—bringing together imaging, specialists, and a treatment plan within hours.
Time matters. And in Craig’s case, it changed everything.
2
A Bold Treatment Strategy
Dr. Osipov saw something others might have missed.
Though Craig was 71, he had the strength and resilience of someone much younger. Based on that, Dr. Osipov recommended a full-strength chemotherapy regimen—an aggressive approach rarely used at his age.
It was a pivotal decision.
Over the next several years, Craig endured nearly 70 rounds of chemotherapy, multiple courses of radiation, and a clinical trial.
3
A Unique Biology
Craig’s journey was also shaped by something scientists are still working to understand.
He had a rare genetic “signature,” a unique combination of mutations that made him an exceptional responder to treatment.
Dr. Arsen Osipov and his team at Cedars-Sinai are actively studying patients like Craig to better understand why some individuals respond so powerfully to treatment and how those insights can be translated into better outcomes for all patients.
More than a Doctor
Craig believed deeply in the power of relationships. He valued family, friendship, and the people who walk beside you through life’s hardest moments.
With Dr. Osipov, he found more than an oncologist. He found a trusted guide and a teammate in the fight.
Dr. Osipov has a rare gift for helping patients navigate the hardest decisions, staying steps ahead of emerging treatment options, and treating each patient as the individual they are rather than a statistic. That approach resonated deeply with Craig.
Built on trust, honesty, and a shared competitive spirit, their partnership grew into a genuine friendship, united by the same goal: to help Craig keep living his life as fully as possible.
“It can take four to six weeks to get through the diagnostic process for this complicated cancer. We do it in a matter of a few hours. Our goal is to minimize that burden and reduce the anxiety and wear and tear of traveling to multiple clinics. Patients want to begin treatment as soon as possible.”
— Dr. Arsen Osipov, medical oncologist and head of the Pancreatic Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic at Cedars-Sinai Hospital
A Life Fully Lived
Craig continued to live with courage, humor, and determination long after his diagnosis.
Nowhere was his spirit more visible than on the pickleball court. Even during intense treatment, Craig refused to stop playing, often arriving with his chemotherapy pump still strapped to his body. When a spinal tumor later destroyed his grip strength, he simply had a friend duct-tape the paddle to his hand and stepped onto the court anyway.
He went on to win all five games he played that day.
Craig’s Heart
“I’ve known a few people who had pancreatic cancer before me. In both cases they had the Whipple procedure and were doing well, their lives substantially extended. That gave me hope…
The Whipple procedure is a complex surgical operation used to treat cancers in the pancreas. It is currently the only potential curative option for pancreatic cancer—but only about 15–20% of patients are eligible, because the disease is often diagnosed too late. Craig was not eligible.
…But after my diagnosis, two people reached out to me for advice when their loved ones were diagnosed. Those situations were devastating.
I shared everything I could with them and tried to help connect them with Dr. Osipov and the team at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. One patient, Janie, even made it to the hospital and met with Dr. Osipov, but he never became her doctor because she didn’t live long enough. The same thing happened in the other case. It brought the reality of this disease painfully close to home.
We went to Janie’s funeral and sat right near the podium. I remember sitting there crying like a baby. I so badly wished she could have had more time. Even if it wasn’t ten years, maybe three years like I’ve been given. So much can happen in that time.
Extra time allows you to talk with your friends and family, to tell them how much you love them and how much they’ve meant in your life. It gives you time to reflect, to share things you might have carried inside for decades.
One of the greatest gifts God has given me through this journey has been a little more time. At first you close yourself off, but slowly you begin to open up. You start saying things to people you may have felt for 30 or 40 years but never expressed. You realize how deeply people have influenced your life, and you want them to know it.
That time to connect, to share, and to appreciate the people you love is an incredible gift.”
— Craig Vittitoe
Why Your Support Matters: Craig’s Thoughts
“When you’re the one facing pancreatic cancer, you start asking: where can we give back in a way that truly matters? For me, this isn’t about me anymore. It’s about the next person who receives this diagnosis.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the few major cancers still moving in the wrong direction—it is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer death. But I believe we are at a moment where real progress is possible. With focused research, brilliant doctors like Dr. Arsen Osipov, and new tools like Artificial Intelligence, we have an opportunity to change the trajectory.
What I love about this fund is that your donations go directly to research. They aren't lost in a large pool; they go straight into the hands of scientists working for a cure. If supporting this effort speaks to you, I would be deeply grateful. It is one of the most impactful things you can do for the future of families facing this disease.”
— Craig Vittitoe
We said goodbye to Craig in March 2025. But his mission continues.
We created the Vittitoe Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund to change what is possible for future patients. By funding cutting-edge research and advancing early detection, we aim to help more families receive the same precious gift of time that Craig fought so hard for.
Craig showed us how to live with courage and joy, even in the face of the unimaginable. Help us carry his spirit forward.