The down button on the wall next to the elevator banks in the vestibule of the 7th floor of the Carl Shapiro building is lit up a yellowish white. Im all alone , mask on, sunglasses on and my eyes are watering just enough. The elevator must have arrived, i wasn't paying much attention other than staring at that button. Going down? bellowed from inside the car, i looked up yeah, sorry as i make my way inside. My mind is going a hundred miles an hour, kind of in between emotions..a rare and strange feeling thats tough to explain. The words i just heard kept playing over and over as the car descends to the lobby. You dont have to come back here anymore were the words my Doctor at Beth Israel just said to me after my yearly blood draw and check up. I've been coming here in varying intervals for 10 years and its very hard to explain whot those words mean. despite being in remission for ten years, i was never told i didnt have to come back. I went from weekly, to monthy to bi-yearly to yearly..but never was i told youre safe. Ive never felt safe..i have the words ill give you a 50/50 chance you;ll live the rest of your life ....i heard those words for sure and in a way ive live my life playing those odds out. But those new words, kicked a new reality into me that i never believed could or would happen.
Most of you reading this can recall when this saga began for us and you've lived along side of my family and i as we dedicated our time raising money for a cure. Today, marks the end my journey ..as it can be said that im cured of cancer.
I know your first question... So no more emails asking for money right?
Sadly, NO..in fact if anything now is the time to keep moving forward, becasue we want more people to hear those words that i was able to hear this last Tuesday . Our 10 year odyssey together and all the money we collectively raised for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute clearly has been spent in the most innovative and impactful of ways. Becasue if you recall, i was a participant in a DFCI phase II clinical trial ....CT -011, specifically a dendritic cell fusion vaccine that i feel in concert with the treatment i received, helped save my life. In a time where the word vaccine is so prevalent and polarizing as a topic , i want to assure you that having faith in these researchers and their vaccine efforts are the stuff of legend. The innovations and creativity being utilized in the quest to cure cancer are being funded by people likey ou and I via the PMC. So let us stay on this course we carved out together and never relent in our commitment to finding more cures for those so desperately needing one.
As always, 100% of your donation goes directly to the DFCI and i look forward to your continued support and service to the PMC and Dana Farber,
God bless
John
P.S. I let you all off the hook last year....so whatever you plan to give this year..DOUBLE IT!!
