Tuesday, September 16, 2014

LLS Staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center

 
Texas Gulf Coast LLS staff outside the research facility at
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

September 15 was "World Lymphoma Awareness Day" and the Texas Gulf Coast chapter of LLS was privileged to spend this special day touring one of the research facilities at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
 
This was a wonderful opportunity for the staff to get to witness first hand some of the exciting developments in research our organization is helping to fund. The site visit began with a tour through the labs of Dr. Larry Kwak, head of the department of lymphoma/myeloma and Dr. Robert Orlowski of lymphoma/myeloma. Researchers in the labs talked to us about some of the incredible advances in therapies they continue to work on, including cell therapy, vaccines and targeted antibodies.
 
Our next stop was a visit with the director of the Lymphoma Tissue bank, Dr. Sattva Neelapu. He and his head researcher took us into the labs where they store tumor tissue and study tumor progression. Part of the lab includes a room filled with large freezers where the tissue is stored at -180 degrees.
 
Following lunch, Dr. Dean Lee of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences talked to us about the cutting edge research he's doing inserting NK cells into a patient on chemotherapy. NK cells (natural killer cells) are one of the specialized white blood cells of our immune system and they can recognize and kill many types of cancer, including AML. Recently the FDA and review board at MD Anderson approved the first in-human study to test whether these NK cells can be safely delivered in combination with chemo. This clinical study is happening now and we are honored that the LLS has given a grant to Dr. Lee for this remarkable study. If successful, the approach could apply to many other types of cancer. There are already other clinical trials under development to test NK cells.
 
It was a great thrill to visit the famous MD Anderson Cancer Center and we feel grateful to be here in Houston where this incredible research is happening in our own back yard.
 
Researcher at the Lymphoma Tissue bank
showing us the freezers filled with tissue from
biopsies. The freezers are kept at -180 degrees.

LLS staff at the tissue bank with the lab's director, Dr. Sattva Neelapu

Staff with Dr. Dean Lee, M.D., PHD- faculty Graduate School
of Biomedical Sciences
 

Monday, September 15, 2014

Mission Moment Monday: Peyton's Story


Eleven-year-old Peyton Busch is a smart, athletic 5th grader who loves football and basketball and playing outside with his brother Braden.

On September 11, 2006, at the age of 3, he was diagnosed with leukemia. His mom, Carrie, had noticed many red spots on his arms and legs as wells as a lot of bruising and she just did not feel right about it. So, Peyton's pediatrician did blood work. Once the blood work came back, the pediatrician said he thought Peyton probably had leukemia and that they needed to leave immediately, pack a bag, and head straight to Texas Children's Hospital.

"My mind did this... Leukemia = Cancer = Death," Carrie said, "I had no idea this was a blood cancer. I had no idea what the statistics were for survival. I had no idea what it meant that he was considered high risk. I went home crying with him and packed our bags."

Peyton's dad was on a plane coming home and had no idea all of this was happening until he landed and found out his wife and son were at the hospital where his little boy was already having blood and platelet transfusions.

"In the beginning the treatments were horrible," Carrie said, "For the first year and a half, I had to hold Peyton down to get his port accessed. He would kick and scream and hit me and cry and ask why I was letting them do this to him." He cried when they took the dressings off his port when he finished chemo. He spit the oral medicines at his mom saying they tasted "yucky" so she tried hiding them in his food. Finally, the nurses taught him how to swallow pills so they could get the medicines in without a fight.

In January 2010, after four years of chemotherapy, Peyton was done! His port was removed one week following his seventh birthday. Today, he doesn't really talk much about his cancer journey. He just lives a normal young boy's life. He has minor issues with his heart from the damage done by treatments, but fortunately, he is cancer free and now only has to return to TCH once a year!

Carrie has gone on to participate in many events with TNT. She runs, swims, bikes and raises thousands of dollars to fund a cure for leukemia so that someday young mothers won't have to endure the painful experience of having a child with cancer. "I felt when I became a mother I finally had a purpose in my life- to raise and protect my children to the best of my ability," she said, "When Peyton was diagnosed, I lost the ability to protect him. I had no control over what the outcome was to be or how the treatment was to go. I had to turn it over to God and let Him take care of Peyton."

"I was just there to delegate the obnoxious pill schedule and to stay on top of his treatment schedule. And try to make things as normal as I could for Peyton, Braden, and myself. That was really hard."

There are many young parents every day who discover the same horrible fact Carrie did, that their child has cancer.  "I would tell someone whose child has been diagnosed that it is going to be a long hard road, but that there is so much good that comes out of something so bad. I have met other great families through our journey that truly understand my fears and concerns and emotions. I have my TNT family."

Carrie's continued support of the mission of the LLS through TNT is phenomenal. She proudly wears her son's name on her race jersey and continues to fight not only for Peyton, but for other men, women and children with blood cancer. "I want this disease to go away," she said, "I never want another family to hear those words: 'your child has leukemia'. I think the world needs to know how little funding goes to childhood cancer research. There needs to be more so they can find a cure and better treatment methods for little ones."



Thursday, September 11, 2014

Nations Tri Weekend in D.C.

Our Nations Tri TNT triathletes spent the past weekend in Washington D.C. biking and running to beat blood cancer. They would have done a little swimming for the cause, but a storm came through the night before causing a little nastiness to be stirred up in the Potomac.
 
But our fearless purple warriors did not let this spoil their enthusiasm for ending blood cancer. Our local team raised over $38,000. And our Team Andy Strong Tri group was the top fundraising team at the event. Participants from many states attended the event and raised more than $500,000 to wipe out blood cancer.
 
Go TEAM!!!
 


Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Is Your State Represented?


So far, 8 great states are represented on our Winter Season roster. Participants are coming in from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. And of course, loads of Texans will be here.

It will be fun having so many out of state guests at our Inspiration Dinner and race on January 18. We can't wait to see y'all!



Tuesday, September 2, 2014

National Blood Cancer Awareness Month


September is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

  • Every 3 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
  • 1.1 million Americans are living with (or are in remission from) a blood cancer.
  • Blood cancers are the most common of childhood cancers.
  • Almost 150,000 Americans will be diagnosed with blood cancer this year.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is working harder than ever to fund cures for these diseases and to make sure that patients have access to the treatments they need. During Blood Cancer Awareness Month, please consider helping us on our mission to raise $300,000 in 30 days!

Since we began in 1949, we have invested more than $1 billion in our mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin Disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Thank you Texas Gulf Coast TNT participants for your part in this great mission.

Go TEAM.