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Thanks for your thoughtful article, Phyllis. By the way, did you know that inflammatory breast cancer has been studied in zebrafish? A researcher, Dr. Stoletov funded by the California Breast Cancer Research Program, did some fascinating work in 2005. His zebrafish model allowed him to study Rho-GTPases. RhoC gene is overexpressed in IBC.
Like many, I'm frustrated that research doesn't move quickly enough and far too many people are still dying from cancer BUT it's certainly not because people aren't trying. Most of us have heard someone say, "oh, a cure for cancer's already been found but too many people make money on it, so they keep the cure quiet." Do they really believe that? Over the past 15 yr., since my own inflammatory breast cancer diagnosis, I've had the opportunity to get to know many researchers who are dedicated and passionate about their work. They spend their lives trying to find "the thing" that will make a difference for patients diagnosed with cancer. I can't imagine any of them "sitting on a cure" if such existed!
I was never the "lab rat" in high school and never envisioned myself as a cancer advocate/activist, but life has a way of sending us down new paths. Now I spend my days reading medical journals, interacting with researchers and guiding patients regarding treatment decisions. I'm grateful for the many people who spend their days thinking, studying and imagining a way to stop cancer, we NEED them!
As we approach breast cancer awareness month, consider that patients, survivors and pathfinders aren't the only ones to be remembered and applauded in October........let's give those researchers a hand and perhaps consider ways to help fund that much needed research!
Thanks for adding your experiences with researchers. We see the doctors and nurses who take care of us, but the scientists are the behind the scenes people we only hear about briefly in a news report about their findings. Often a short news piece on television doesn't even name the lead author of a study. I didn't know about the zebrafish and IBC. Those little fellows are getting around!
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Fascinating story, and your comments are so right on, Phyllis. I have a couple of friends who are cancer researchers, and they work long, hard, with passion and, yes, with creativity, to reach their goals. One of them, every time I see her and ask her how it's going, puts her thumb and pointer finger about 1/4" apart, and says, "We're THIS close..." With Breast Cancer Awareness Month starting Thursday, let's all take the time to say thanks, for real or in our hearts, to the folks whose work will FINALLY put an end to cancer. PJH
Tell your friends "thank you" from me.