Life can be greatly enriched by a little inspiration from unexpected sources. I had such an experience a few days ago.
If you follow my blog, you know that last week I traveled to Washington for the release of the 2013 cancer research progress report from the American Association for Cancer Research. The visit consisted of a busy two days discussing the importance of federal funding to advance cancer research. Events included committee meetings, a press conference, a reception, a dinner, a meeting to organize our advocacy efforts, and visits to congressional offices. Participants in the effort included not only researchers and physicians but also patient advocates.
One of the advocates was 8-year-old Maddie, who has been dealing with leukemia for more than half of her life. It is hard to think about what this little girl has been through – months of intensive chemotherapy with multiple complications, relapse of the leukemia, bone marrow transplantation with multiple complications, relapse again. Her parents then sought out a highly experimental immunotherapy because there were no other options. That experimental therapy was successful and Maddie is back to being an active 8-year-old – one without any evidence of leukemia (her story can be found as part of the cancer research progress report at http://cancerprogressreport.org/Pages/maddie.aspx).