Bobby Menges at the Shave & Buzz fundraising event he co-founded.
A New Standard for Support
Published
When Duke and a determined family joined forces, they redefined cancer care for young patients.
Liz, Bobby, and Peter Menges at Duke Shave & Buzz, an annual fundraising event that Bobby co-founded.
Even as he neared the end of a battle with cancer that he had fought since childhood, Duke University student Bobby Menges was thinking about helping others.
Just two months before his death in 2017, Bobby — a prolific public speaker — told an audience at the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club in New York, “Although donating money is good, I think it’s really important to get into the trenches.”
That sentiment has become the mission of the foundation that Bobby’s parents, Liz and Peter, created in his memory. The I’m Not Done Yet Foundation surpassed $1 million in gifts to Duke Health in 2025 and has transformed how the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) supports young people with cancer.
Inspired by their son, Peter and Liz Menges began collaborating with Duke Cancer Institute in 2018 to develop programs that have empowered and benefited hundreds of teen and young adult cancer patients. Fueled by Bobby’s ideas and funded by Duke Shave & Buzz —the annual head-shaving event he co-founded, which just wrapped its 10th year — the partnership reflects his joyful advocacy.
“Throughout his experience as a young cancer patient in several hospitals, Bobby identified gaps in care and service for teens and young adults,” Liz said. “We view Duke as being so special not only because they provided excellent medical care for Bobby, but also because when we have come to Duke with ideas for filling those gaps, they have never said no.”
A Model for Philanthropic Partnership
Bobby Menges (center) with parents Liz and Peter. The family created the I’m Not Done Yet Foundation
in memory of Bobby, a Duke University student and Duke Health patient.
Three focus areas — peer-to-peer coaching, preserving young cancer patients’ ability to have children, and fitness and wellness — form the cornerstones of a service network created by Duke and supported by the foundation. These ancillary services are just as vital to young cancer patients as treatment itself, the Menges said.
“Peter and Liz Menges have shaped a model for philanthropic partnership at Duke Health — one rooted in deep collaboration, vision, and action. Their commitment has not only advanced the Onco-Fertility Program and new IMPACT physical activity initiative, but it has also helped translate Duke research into real-world support for young people with cancer,” said Michael Kastan, MD, PhD, executive director of DCI until January 5, 2026. “Through their leadership and generosity, the Menges have driven innovation and inspired a new standard for donor engagement.”
The collaboration works like this: identify a problem, find a way to solve it, then build something that has lasting impact, Peter said.
When Duke and a determined family joined forces, they redefined cancer care for young patients.
“That is the power of the relationship with Duke and why we love it, and why we’re thrilled to keep giving and giving and giving,” Peter said. “We’re always looking for the next idea, and Duke has been extremely open and receptive.”
Working with the Duke Teen and Young Adult Oncology Program, the foundation helped establish positions for a nurse navigator, medical family therapist, and clinical psychologist. DCI is the only national cancer institute that offers marriage
and family therapy to patients and their loved ones, available at no cost thanks in part to the foundation’s support, said Cheyenne Corbett, PhD, director of the Supportive Care and Survivorship Center.
Road Map for Others
Peter and Liz Menges serve on the DCI Board of Advisors.
Bobby was an early participant in peer-to-peer coaching. Now called Bobby’s Coaches, the program launched by I’m Not Done Yet and Duke’s Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences provides free peer support for young patients with cancer by connecting them with someone who also coped with cancer at a young age.
Bobby also championed fertility preservation. With foundation support, Duke’s Onco-Fertility Program has helped hundreds of young patients pursue parenthood, with referrals rising from 50 in 2019 to more than 228 in 2025. The foundation also offsets costs, making care more accessible. A co-authored white paper now serves as a guide for other institutions.
Most recently, the foundation and Duke launched the IMPACT (Improving Mobility and Physical Activity After Cancer Treatment) program to help young survivors regain strength, confidence, and social connection. Participants report improved mobility, endurance, and emotional well-being.
“I would recommend this program to any young adult experiencing cancer,” one participant wrote in a feedback survey. “This program has given me greater agency over my body, which is something I felt I lost during treatment.”
Duke Cancer Institute plans to turn this successful model into an ongoing service, thanks to inspiration from I’m Not Done Yet.
“The Menges’ hands-on approach to philanthropy — sparked by Bobby’s vision — has empowered Duke to develop, test, and implement innovative models of care,” Corbett said.
“The support and services now in place are a living tribute to Bobby’s legacy.”
DUKE SHAVE & BUZZ
The foundation achieved the remarkable milestone thanks to fundraising by Duke Shave & Buzz. A year before he died, Bobby co-founded the annual event with friends at Durham Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE). Now run by Duke students who never knew Bobby, the Shave & Buzz club raised $266,000 in 2025 during the 10th anniversary, the most money raised at a single event yet. All proceeds go to the foundation.
Peter and Liz chalk up the event’s remarkable longevity to seeds that Bobby planted years ago and to the extraordinary commitment to helping others that they witness across Duke. “This is money raised by Duke, for Duke,” Peter said. “Together, we have built a collaborative ecosystem that keeps perpetuating bigger and bigger things. It’s just incredible what has happened, and what Bobby put into motion.”
For decades, cancer screening has focused on detecting one cancer at a time through tests such as mammograms, colonoscopies, cervical cancer screenings, and lung cancer screening. While these tests save lives, many cancers still lack recommended screening options and often are not detected until symptoms develop.One of the greatest challenges in cancer care is that many cancers are discovered after they have progressed to more advanced stages. At that point, treatment can be more intensive and outcomes may be less favorable.Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests represent a new approach that could change that. MCED tests are blood tests designed to look for signals associated with multiple types of cancer at the same time. Rather than focusing on a single disease, these tests analyze fragments of genetic material and other biomarkers that circulate in the bloodstream. If an abnormal pattern is detected, the test may identify a potential cancer signal and, in some cases, suggest where in the body that signal originated.“MCED testing may help identify certain cancers before symptoms appear, creating opportunities for earlier evaluation and treatment,” said Kevin Oeffinger, MD, director of the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) Center for Onco-Primary Care and co-director of the Supportive Care and Survivorship Center.Researchers and clinicians are particularly interested in the potential of MCED tests to help detect cancers that currently have no routine screening recommendations. MCED testing may offer another tool for finding some of these cancers earlier.Although MCED testing holds considerable promise, experts emphasize that patients and healthcare providers should understand both its advantages and its current limitations.MCED testing may be most appropriate for adults age 50 and older, as cancer risk increases with age. It may also be considered for younger individuals who have a higher risk of cancer because of factors such as family history, a personal history of cancer, lifestyle factors, or certain medical conditions.Importantly, MCED tests do not diagnose cancer. A positive result signals the need for additional testing to determine whether cancer is present and, if so, what type of cancer it may be.Like all screening tools, MCED tests have limitations. False-positive results can occur, meaning a cancer signal is detected when no cancer is present. False-negative results are also possible, as some cancers may not release detectable signals into the bloodstream.Experts also stress that MCED testing is not a replacement for recommended cancer screenings.“Patients should continue to receive all age- and risk-appropriate screenings, including mammograms, colonoscopies, cervical cancer screening, prostate cancer screening, and lung cancer screening,” Oeffinger said.Currently, MCED tests have not received FDA approval and are available as laboratory-developed tests while additional research continues. While many healthcare organizations can order an MCED test, the Duke Center for Onco-Primary Care offers a dedicated MCED clinic that begins with an individualized discussion about a patient's health history, cancer risk factors, and screening goals.Patients receive education and counseling before testing, assistance with coordinating the test itself, support in understanding results, and guidance through any recommended follow-up evaluations. Rather than leaving patients to interpret complex information on their own, Duke provides coordinated care throughout the testing and diagnostic pathway.As research continues, Duke's experts believe MCED testing has the potential to become an important addition to cancer screening strategies.“Duke's approach ensures patients have access to expert guidance, evidence-based recommendations, and coordinated care every step of the way,” Oeffinger said.To learn more about the MCED Clinic or to make an appointment, visit dukehealth.org/mced-test, or call 919-613-3333.
For decades, cancer screening has focused on detecting one cancer at a time through tests such as mammograms, colonoscopies, cervical cancer screenings, and lung cancer screening. While these tests save lives, many cancers still lack recommended screening options and often are not detected until symptoms develop.One of the greatest challenges in cancer care is that many cancers are discovered after they have progressed to more advanced stages. At that point, treatment can be more intensive and outcomes may be less favorable.Multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests represent a new approach that could change that. MCED tests are blood tests designed to look for signals associated with multiple types of cancer at the same time. Rather than focusing on a single disease, these tests analyze fragments of genetic material and other biomarkers that circulate in the bloodstream. If an abnormal pattern is detected, the test may identify a potential cancer signal and, in some cases, suggest where in the body that signal originated.“MCED testing may help identify certain cancers before symptoms appear, creating opportunities for earlier evaluation and treatment,” said Kevin Oeffinger, MD, director of the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) Center for Onco-Primary Care and co-director of the Supportive Care and Survivorship Center.Researchers and clinicians are particularly interested in the potential of MCED tests to help detect cancers that currently have no routine screening recommendations. MCED testing may offer another tool for finding some of these cancers earlier.Although MCED testing holds considerable promise, experts emphasize that patients and healthcare providers should understand both its advantages and its current limitations.MCED testing may be most appropriate for adults age 50 and older, as cancer risk increases with age. It may also be considered for younger individuals who have a higher risk of cancer because of factors such as family history, a personal history of cancer, lifestyle factors, or certain medical conditions.Importantly, MCED tests do not diagnose cancer. A positive result signals the need for additional testing to determine whether cancer is present and, if so, what type of cancer it may be.Like all screening tools, MCED tests have limitations. False-positive results can occur, meaning a cancer signal is detected when no cancer is present. False-negative results are also possible, as some cancers may not release detectable signals into the bloodstream.Experts also stress that MCED testing is not a replacement for recommended cancer screenings.“Patients should continue to receive all age- and risk-appropriate screenings, including mammograms, colonoscopies, cervical cancer screening, prostate cancer screening, and lung cancer screening,” Oeffinger said.Currently, MCED tests have not received FDA approval and are available as laboratory-developed tests while additional research continues. While many healthcare organizations can order an MCED test, the Duke Center for Onco-Primary Care offers a dedicated MCED clinic that begins with an individualized discussion about a patient's health history, cancer risk factors, and screening goals.Patients receive education and counseling before testing, assistance with coordinating the test itself, support in understanding results, and guidance through any recommended follow-up evaluations. Rather than leaving patients to interpret complex information on their own, Duke provides coordinated care throughout the testing and diagnostic pathway.As research continues, Duke's experts believe MCED testing has the potential to become an important addition to cancer screening strategies.“Duke's approach ensures patients have access to expert guidance, evidence-based recommendations, and coordinated care every step of the way,” Oeffinger said.To learn more about the MCED Clinic or to make an appointment, visit dukehealth.org/mced-test, or call 919-613-3333.
