The Comeback Kids: Leal Patients, Real Stories

 

“It” is hard to come by. It is blood and sweat and tears…many, many tears…and usually not a lot of glory. It is about being courageous at your weakest and about questioning the universe. It is about being incredibly lucky but realizing that others are not as fortunate.

Every cancer patient is desperate to have it. Every caregiver prays for it. Every friend and neighbor can’t wait to hear it and talk to you about it and celebrate it. 

What is it? It is the hard-fought, hard-won, desperately yearned-for but never easily achieved – remission story.

We all want to ring that bell and drink the champagne. We all want to triumph over our cancer, to say that we squashed it into the ground, to shout that while the cancer was strong, we were stronger.

But the truth is, people with the best attitudes, a strong sense of fortitude, the cleanest diets breathing the freshest air, with harecore exercise regiments and access to the most revolutionary medicine…still die. All the time. 

For all the purposes of this piece, I will share that I was NOT supposed to survive my cancer. According to Mr. Darwin and his “Survival of the Fittest” theory, I was not one of the fittest, as it happened to be. The trifecta of a late-stage diagnosis + triple negative breast cancer + the BRCA1 mutation meant that I had the armageddon of breast cancers….the worst one…the one with high mortality rates, few treatment options (17 years ago), and if I did survive, a high rate of recurrence. 

Even my stoic, brilliant surgeon pulled my family aside and solemnly told them to prepare themselves. It was a shame…I was young…but it did not look good…the cancer was too advanced, too aggressive and the standard of care they could offer me may not be enough to stop the onslaught. Thankfully, I did not know any of that as I plugged through dose-dense chemo, then a double mastectomy, then full-course radiation, then rehabilitation, then reconstruction followed by more reconstruction and then even more.  In the end, the underdog survived to tell her tale. 

But what tale could I tell?  At that moment, in the aftermath of treatment, I did not have enough foresight to tell a story of survival. It was all tread-marks and dust, and I could barely see through the wreckage. I was a 33-year-old woman who lost her career, her fertility and her confidence on the harrowing road to save her life. I was a sliver of the strong, vibrant person I once was. Now all I had were shattered dreams and an even more shattered body. It took me years, years to realize that I did, in fact, have a story of survival to share with others. And you can read my full story here

Today though, I’d like to share a few other accounts of people who walked through the fire and have the scars to prove it. They continue to live and thrive post cancer and give hope to those following in their footsteps.

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Janet’s Story

Breast Cancer, Triple Negative, Stage II, age at diagnosis 37

Colon Cancer, Stage III, age at diagnosis 44

 

Janet, a mother of 4 and a US navy veteran was diagnosed with breast cancer and later colon cancer in the prime of her life. In spite of having no family history of either cancer, Janet did have a family history of mistrust of the medical community. Her mother, grandmother and entire immediate family seldom went for health visits and, as minorities, were generally skeptical of doctors and their recommendations. 

 

At the time of Janet’s first diagnosis, she was unemployed and uninsured and was forced to turn to a VA (Veteran Affairs) hospital in another part of her state for cancer treatment. She quickly realized that she would need to be her own self-advocate and ask questions about her cancer care. A few years later, Janet was misdiagnosed when she experienced pain in her colon. The doctors dismissed it, and it was only when she pressed them for a colonoscopy did they find a stage III tumor. Janet was assigned to aggressive treatment right then and there. 

 

There were moments of weakness, as one could expect. “Throughout all of this, my mom and husband coached me to do the right thing. When I wanted to give up, they were right there to get me back on track. My belief in God was key to keeping my sanity and pushing to the finish line.” Her faith and strong will took Janet all the way through to remission of her second cancer diagnosis.

 

Janet’s background and experience with cancer inspired her to dedicate her life to help other underrepresented communities to take their health more seriously and to press their doctors for scans and tests. She pursued a Master’s Degree in Health Science because she wants to educate minorities about their cancer treatment options, particularly clinical trials. 

 

Janet continues to raise awareness through her non-for-profit breast cancer organization and  health fairs and has sat on several university medical boards for discussions on precision medicine. “I started this community outreach because of the desperate need for simple everyday things.  My support team consisted of my husband, mom, and many close family members.  They were paying utilities, car payments, gas, groceries, and whatever else we lacked.” And now Janet and her husband use their personal funds to purchase inspirational books, colostomy bags and sometimes even provide childcare to other cancer patients. Janet is a true Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advocate and a true SHERO!

 

“My advice for other people battling cancer: You must listen to your body. You have to advocate for yourself. It could mean life or death. If you are uncomfortable speaking to medical professionals, contact someone who can help you navigate the healthcare system. 

Early detection is the best way to cure cancer. Getting information out to at-risk communities will save lives, especially knowing that the mortality rate is high throughout minority populations.”

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Regina’s Story

Breast Cancer, Stage IV with metastasis to the lung, age at diagnosis 39

 

The daughter of a single mother, Regina came from humble beginnings and found herself pregnant and a high school dropout at the tender age of 16. With no parental guidance to get her back on track, Regina decided that she would not become a statistic. She decided to earn her GED and apply to beauty school, and she did just that while raising her young son. 

 

Through sheer grit and determination, Regina built a thriving beauty salon, married the love of her life and had two more children. Then one morning, Regina experienced a sharp pain in her left breast during her meditation. Days before her 40th birthday, she received a grim cancer diagnosis. The oncologist feared the worst and told Regina to get her affairs in order. 

 

She started chemotherapy at the height of Covid, and therefore attended the infusions alone. Regina took advantage of her solitude to pray and be in tune with her mind-body connection. She knew that it would take a great deal of mental strength for her to endure the road ahead, so Regina decided to lean into positivity and gratitude. She closed her salon and focused on treatment, always staying prayerful and trying to find healing and grace at every crossroad. 

 

Regina spoke to her cancer, willing it to go away, telling it to “stop right there.” And one day when Regina was at her lowest, she experienced a gift from her oncology nurse. The nurse told her it was ok to waver, to be sad and feel fragile, “I was given permission to not to have to be strong. I was weak. My body was weak. I surrendered myself to weakness and allowed God to be my strength.” 

 

Reginia continued to stay hopeful and welcomed her infusions with gratitude, believing each one was healing her. Even when her hair fell out and her tongue and nails turned dark, she still saw the light. When the radiation burned her, she imagined herself as coming out of the embers as a fortified diamond. 

 

Her positive response to the drugs stumped even her doctors who told her that she was a unique case, and one that they had never seen before. Instead of the cancer ragravaging through her body, it had disappeared. 

 

Regina is currently 43 years old and has rebuilt her salon to be even more successful. She is passionate about encouraging patients to practice self-advocacy, to lean on others, and to keep hope alive.

 

“What I learned throughout my cancer journey is, if you look hard enough, hope is always shining through, but only 

if you choose to believe it.”

 

“Angels are always present if you choose to see them. Light is always present if you choose to feel it. Miracles do happen if you choose to receive them. I realized that when cancer comes for your body, you should not allow it to take away your spirit or your hope.”

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We all want to have that success story. After all, we are all realistically and metaphorically “dying to live” to be able to have a story of remission…a story of redemption. We all want the underdog story.  And if you have one, congratulations! Hold onto it dearly. It’s a truly amazing thing to come out on the other side of such an intense and brutalizing journey like cancer.

 

The real question for the lucky ones, may be this: what are we going to do with our success stories? How can we share them with others to give our brothers and sisters a little hope in their darkest hours? 

 

For me, it was a complicated situation. But ultimately I decided to let go of my beloved career that I had fought so hard to rebuild after my cancer. And now, I am blessed to work with cancer patients, like you, every single day. Sharing your stories, the happy ones, the sad ones…all the ones. It is a humbling privilege and one that I honor and cherish. 

 

I hope that each of you reading this can become a “comeback kid” one day and have a remission story of your own to share with others. I truly, truly do. And I will leave you with this…when my oncologist learned that I naturally conceived twins after the chemotherapy that supposedly rendered me infertile, he called me and said, “I think that God is paying you back in goodness for all of your suffering.” To which I replied, “When does a man of science start talking about God?” And his response still rings in my ears, “We talk about God when we don’t have a way to bridge the gap between what we learn in medicine and what has happened to you.”  

 

So my dear, cancer patient, remember this: Miracles do happen. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  

The Comeback Kids: Leal Patients, Real Stories2023-08-22T13:12:04+00:00

Cancer, Party of One

My Fellow Cancer Patient,

 

Sometimes it’s lonely – having cancer. It can be difficult to witness the world continue to rotate at its normal, steady pace, when you have cancer. It can be insufferable to sit in traffic or be stuck in line…don’t they know, you don’t have a minute to waste? It can be painful to watch everyone around you laugh with carefree abandon – what’s so damn funny? Don’t they know I’m fighting for my life over here? 

 

Everyone who has walked in your shoes, days, years or even decades ahead can relate to the sense of loss, of loneliness, of feeling left behind, of feeling strange about new emotions, of being uncomfortable with changes in your body that come with cancer treatment, of being disappointed, angry, terrified, exhausted and everything in between.

 

So I’m here to tell you that You’re. Not. Alone. 

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You’re not alone if you become angry and a little bitter.

Having cancer can feel like a lonely existence.a try Like everything and everyone is keeping on keeping on while you are stuck in this black hole, this vortex of doctors and needles and biopsies and tests and nuclear medicine, oh my! You didn’t even know what a pet scan was a minute ago, and now all you can do is obsess over a clean pet scan result. 

 

Friends are going to work and making summer vacation plans. And you’re frozen in fear about the real possibility of not being able to attend your daughter’s next birthday party because you just don’t know how much time you have and time has now become a real variable and your most valuable commodity. That’s a lot and more than enough to make you angry at the world. 

 

Let me tell you, anger is precisely the correct response to feeling like you’re being jipped out of life…out of time…out of your own existence…that your kids are possibly being jipped out of a parent or as in my case, my parents being forced to watch me, their child, suffer after already losing their son, my brother, earlier in life. Fair? No. Not by a mile, so if bitterness creeps in from time to time, it’s perfectly expected.

 

You’re not alone if it’s summer but you’re freezing.

Losing your eyelashes and the hair on your head, on your arms, on your legs, in your nose and south of the equator leaves you feeling unexpectedly cold. A light breeze can be enough for your teeth to start chattering or your nose to start running or your eyes to water. It’s normal to start leaking or shivering at any given moment. I always kept tissues stuffed into my pockets, a cozy hat in every room and an extra hoodie in my car. 

 

You’re not alone if your reflection in the mirror is a little different than the one you remember.

Chemotherapy lowers your white blood cell count and weakens certain structures, like your nails. Your nails might become brittle, discolored or develop ridges called Beau’s lines. Chemo and radiation can cause changes in your salivary glands or in the lining of your mouth which can upset the balance of bacteria and lead to infections, mouth sores or even tooth decay. Also, some chemotherapy agents can cause hyperpigmentation in skin, leading to dry, itchy or darkening skin tones. 

 

I suffered from mouth sores, grayish skin, wiggly teeth and dark toenails. Not a pretty site, but we were trying to save my life, after all, not my toenails, so I kept it in perspective as much as I could and had those suckers painted in pretty shades of pink.

 

My recommendation is to slather on the sunblock, paint your nails with hardening nail polish, and make sure to have excellent oral hygiene. The good news is that most of these side effects affect a small portion of cancer patients during treatment and are usually temporary.

 

You’re not alone if you wake up at night in a cold sweat.

Fear sneaks up on you when you least expect it. Sometimes when your body is at rest, it starts to purge and you find your heart pounding unexpectedly or your hands shaking feverishly or your mind racing in circles, or your body suddenly trembling in the middle of the night in panic. 

 

I remember sitting quietly, calmly on the bus, reading a book, and my heart just pounding out of my chest. I remember lying awake in bed, deep into the night, contemplating all the what-ifs and mourning all the could-have-beens.

 

It’s ok to be scared. It’s ok to feel those feelings. It’s ok to cry. It’s ok to mourn. Give yourself permission, space and grace to sit with yourself and reconnect with your emotions, no matter when they sneak up on you.

 

You’re not alone if your favorite perfume/cologne makes you nauseous.

Certain types of cancer treatments can affect your sense of taste and smell. Don’t be alarmed if your sense of smell becomes hyper-sensitive during or after treatment, or if you get a metallic taste in your mouth. 

 

Seventeen years after my cancer treatment, I still cannot eat a turkey sandwich with cranberries because I had it for lunch after my third chemo infusion. Nor can I wear my favorite perfume from that time, Channel’s Mademoiselle as it brings me back to a time and place that I do not recall fondly. Always preferring vanilla to chocolate ice cream, I craved chocolate and nothing but chocolate during chemo…and ate it in obscene proportions. After treatment, I went back to vanilla and haven’t budged since. 

 

You’re not alone if your stomach feels like a hot air balloon at take-off and you’re passing gas faster than a run-away train. 

Excessive gas, bloating and abdominal pain, especially for colorectal and stomach cancer patients, are common symptoms. Also, certain foods, beverages, medications and even behaviors can contribute to gas build-up. Try these tips to minimize your discomfort:

 

  1. Avoid carbonated beverages
  2. Avoid dairy products such as milk, cheese, or yogurt
  3. Avoid gas-forming foods like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, corn, turnips, onions, peas, peppers, radishes, garlic, cantaloupe, watermelon, apples, avocados, beans, lentils, and nuts
  4. Avoid behaviors that can cause you to swallow extra air. Eat slowly, drink liquids in small sips and toss all the drinking straws in your house

You’re not alone if you have used your “cancer card.”

Ah…the infamous cancer card. The one we secretly keep nicely tucked in our back pocket and feel the right, the permission and, yes, the clearance to use at our own discretion, in appropriate moments but even more-so in the inappropriate ones. 

 

It’s the proverbial “get-out-of-jail” for free card that gives you leverage in low-stakes situations like getting the last slice of pizza or or negotiating dinner reservations or winning an argument with your spouse. I mean…what’s he going to do? Stay mad at you for buying those shoes?….You have cancer after all! Using the cancer card can bring a little levity to a serious situation or could even help you get out of hot water as it did for me.

 

One morning, I was running late for my PET scan. A nightmare scenario of complete bumper-to-bumper gridlock on the George Washington Bridge followed by some Mission Impossible-style driving down the FDR in rush hour traffic. It wasn’t looking good – we were surely going to miss the appointment. Now, if you know anything about PET scans, you know that 1) they are very progressive tests that are also quite expensive and not always covered by insurance companies and 2) you have to be at your appointment ON TIME because the radioactive isotope being injected (to determine any spread of cancer) becomes ineffective after about one hour and the PET scan cannot and will not take place. 

 

So if your insurance company clears it and you get the appointment scheduled, you had better be there on time, sucking down that canister of barium with a smile on your face…like it is a damn pina colada!

 

I looked at my husband and said, “Take the left turn on Lexington,” fully knowing there was no left turn allowed, at that hour, as clearly marked in red letters on the big sign in front of us. “Take the turn!” I shouted. And he did. And we promptly got pulled over by a handsome NYC cop, with sirens and lights, who had all the time in the world to give us that slow, painful ticket. 

 

I looked at him dead in the face and said, “Sir, I know what we did was illegal, but I have cancer.” Ugh, I said it. I did. I said it! Damn it! I used the cancer card. Cringe!!!!! “I have 

c a n c e r,” I continued in haste, “And I’m very late for an important test at the hospital.” 

 

He looked at me and said, calmly and slowly like he was the sheriff in a Western,  “Ma’am, I’m sorry but I don’t know anything about cancer. I don’t know anyone with cancer. I don’t know what cancer even looks like or…” I stopped him right there. “Sir! THIS is what cancer looks like” I said as I popped off my short, dark wig and held it in my right hand, hovering above my bald head. WHAT? Did I just really do that? Yes, in fact, I did. 

 

My husband and the cop both stared at me in horror…in disbelief…in silence. “This is it,” I thought. Don’t – say – anything! The next person to speak will lose…first rule of negotiation. So there I was in a stare-down with the cop, and thankfully, after a long pause, he broke first. “Ok ma’am. I’m going to let you go but I must give you this ticket. However, show up at the court date next month, and I’ll dismiss it. You’re free to go, and good luck.” 

 

I not only made it to my PET scan in the nick of time, but the cop kept his word and dismissed our ticket. I retired my cancer card after that episode. Didn’t want to press my luck. No sir-ry, I was one-and-done!

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So if you’re ever feeling like you’re a “party of one,” remember that you are in good company. We have been where you are, and sadly, others will follow. Cancer is actually a sisterhood, a brotherhood, a community of lonesome, lonely loners who found one another in the worst of times but also had enough self awareness and foresight to value the connections made, the experiences shared, and the hope forged along the way. Welcome to the club, my friend.

Cancer, Party of One2023-08-22T13:12:14+00:00

10 Things NOT to Say to a Cancer Patient

Dear Friend, Caregiver, Loved One and Perfect Stranger,

Not to overstate the obvious, but people with cancer get tired, exhausted, simply depleted…physically and mentally and emotionally. Even their hair hurts. That kind of supreme fatigue can lead to anger, sarcasm, and even passive-aggression. Cancer patients sometimes lash out and bite the heads off of their well-intentioned friends only to immediately regret it in their next breath.

For example, after my double mastectomy, I offered my sister the jello sitting on my hospital tray. I wasn’t planning to eat it but when she accepted, I screamed at her for always taking hand-outs and fat-shamed her…over a cup of jello. Irrational? Yes, absolutely and also hurtful. 

But the roller coaster of feelings and unreasonable thoughts are all part of a cancer journey. And each person has their own journey. So if a loved one is going through cancer, buckle up for the ride, check for loose objects in the cockpit, and most importantly do not take things too personally.

And now for your public service announcement, here are the 10 things you probably do not want to say to someone with cancer:

    1. “You’re SO strong.”
      Hmm, well let’s see. I’m only strong because I HAVE TO BE. Being strong is the only option I was given, considering that I’m fighting for my survival here. What’s the alternative…to roll over and die? Ugh…I wish I were stronger most days.

 

    1. “You’re lucky that they have treatment for your disease.”
      I mean, I guess. If you consider me lucky because people are cutting off my body parts, stabbing me with sharp objects, burning me from the inside out with radiation and poisoning my veins with chemicals used for extermination in WWII…then maybe I am the luckiest! You’re a genius! Hate you. Love you!

 

    1. “Cancer loves sugar. So you probably shouldn’t eat that. Have you thought about changing your diet?”
      Yes, I have thought about eating clean and green my whole adult life. But if it didn’t happen before the cancer, I don’t think it’s going to happen at this moment…unless you want to hire a private chef for me. No. Right now in my life, all I need is comfort food. So you can go change your diet, fatty – you have ice cream for breakfast! Now go away so I can eat my donut.

 

    1. “You should really talk to a professional.”
      Oh, you mean I should talk to a therapist…like lie down on a couch in front of a perfect stranger to help me dissect my imploding thoughts? Talk all those feelings out? Talk about the fear, the anger, the hopelessness, the despair, the sheer terror of it all…them feelings? Well, I actually wouldn’t know where to begin. My feelings are like a shredded feather pillow…the feathers flying all around the room, and I’m trying to catch them and stuff them back into a pillow with HOLES IN IT! Every medical procedure and ache and pain rips another hole in the pillowcase. So maybe I’ll wait until the dust settles a bit. Maybe you need to go talk to a professional about all the idiotic things you say to me.

 

    1. “You’ll be fine – you have such a positive attitude.”
      Thanks. But not really. I’m usually quite hostile in the quiet moments. And if attitude really mattered, why did I get sick in the first place? I was a pretty positive person before all of this happened. At the moment, my attitude about cancer is pretty crummy. So where does that leave me? And why don’t you just leave me alone with all your wisdom?! But wait – don’t leave me for too long…I need you to remind me how positive I am in spite of everything.

 

    1. “You should simplify your life.”
      My life is pretty simple. I wake up. Go to the doctor, get stabbed a few times with needles. Get weighed, get infused, get sick. Go home, go to bed. Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

    1. “How are you?”
      If you have to ask, then don’t. Because if you really cared, you would already know how I am. Go away. But please come back. I’m just having a really bad day.

 

    1. “Call me if you need anything.”
      No, you call ME, damn it. I’m not going to ask you for help. I’m not going to call you in a moment of weakness asking you to peel me out of a chemo haze, or ask you to change my drains, or ask you to bring me a hot meal that consists of more than the two ingredients left in my fridge. I expect you to read my mind and figure out what I need and then just do it. I can’t think for myself, so I need you to think for me.

 

    1. “You’re going to come out of this a much better person.”
      Nope. Nah. No way. Don’t think so. I was actually a lovely person before the cancer…before the runaway train derailed my life in about 1000 different directions. I was fine. I was happy. Now, I have less patience for nonsense, less tolerance for ineptness and zero fucks for people who are wasting their lives. I’m filled with indignation for complaints and useless people saying useless things – like what you just said. Go! Now! Run…before I unleash almighty hell and rage upon your soul. But please come back.

 

  1. “It can always be worse.”
    Yes, thank you for reminding me that death is always my other option. Now go away. But don’t forget about me. It can only get worse if I have to endure this alone. 
10 Things NOT to Say to a Cancer Patient2023-08-22T13:12:31+00:00

Glenn Sellnow’s Cancer Story

In 2008, I was having some problems with pain in my rear end so I went to the walk-in clinic to investigate the cause.  The doctor looked over the situation and then asked me if he could bring a cancer surgeon into the room to look at it.  This question didn’t thrill me but I said yes.  The cancer surgeon tried a painful procedure right there on the spot, but I said I just could not take that much pain.  They referred me to another surgeon for a biopsy.

I had the biopsy done and was anxious to get the baseline results.  Normally the medical system releases all information to a patient via internet access as soon as possible.  Naturally they don’t do this with cancer because they seem to want the doctor to tell you in person.  I prefer to know things asap so I harassed a nurse by phone until she got permission to tell me the news.  It was not good news.  Cancer.  I remembered a verse from the Bible “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 KJV  That was the verse I needed.

Now it was time for endless procedures, operations, doctor visits and infusions for the years that followed.  I needed the Bible verse more than ever for these entertaining activities.  I had good doctors with the best of care.  I couldn’t help thinking of all the people living in third world countries without access to the care I was being given.  It brought me great sadness that so many people were suffering even worse than me.  

Some people have said that I have a good attitude.  Perhaps in some ways I do; however, I have moments when my thoughts would frighten those very same people.  I know that I have not reached a state of perfection.  I have yet to meet anyone that has and I will never be that person on this earth.

The first surgeon who operated on me gave my family a pep talk after the surgery while I was unconscious.  He said I probably wouldn’t live more than five years.  He may have been accurate but he was also a jackass.  I would like to live longer just to prove him wrong.

I was given the standard treatments for cancer:  surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy.  I didn’t have any bad reactions but there came a day when my oncologist said that I had a mere six months left to live.  Naturally I got second opinions just in case my oncologist was a dud.  The other oncologists said the same thing. Bummer.

It seems that oncologists have some difficulty keeping up to date on all the cancer trials taking place.  They are busy people and cancer trials do not seem to be organized into a common database for easy review.  Facebook had an “ad” for something called Trialjectory so I decided to take a look at it.  I had initial skepticism because I figured doctors would have the same information.  

Trialjectory has a fill in the blank questionnaire for the patient’s condition and it produces a list of useful cancer trials going on around the country.  Software can be a good thing when it does its job.  This would be a good application for some A.I. programming like they are now doing at MSOE, the college I attended eons ago. 

One of the trials at the NIH seemed to match me so my doctor referred me.  Initially, it appeared that I would be accepted into the trial.  Unfortunately, I received a rejection email just as I was packing my travel bags.  Double bummer.  

I found a second trial through Trialjectory that was considerably closer and would not require so much travel.   I found out my oncologist could duplicate this phase 3 trial at my current hospital.  Yea!  I don’t know how much this trial will extend my life.  We all die eventually but I don’t want to rush the process.  This trial might make a difference, so it’s worth a try.

Currently I am working with my Oncologist to determine the best version of the chosen trial.  Doctors are not God and they simply don’t know everything, and they are not expected to.  A trial is designed to prove the best treatment to pursue.  There is not any guarantee that it will improve your life span so I’m prepared for any outcome.  Everyone eventually dies.  So I have a back-up plan.  As a former electrical engineer, I always make back-up plans for all situations.

I personally believe that God controls our life’s destiny.  We can make choices that affect many outcomes and I would definitely like to prolong my life.  I believe that Jesus has given us a path to eternal life and that this current life “is short and sometimes full of trouble.” Cancer is not the worst thing that has ever happened to me, but, again, I would like to prolong my life just to prove my doctors wrong. 

And a parting word to my fellow humans. I suffered from Crohn’s disease which probably contributed to my getting cancer.  My advice is to get checked early and often for cancer if you have any chronic disease. 

Glenn Sellnow’s Cancer Story2023-08-22T13:12:42+00:00

The Girlfriend’s Guide to Breast Cancer, Chapter 1: The Moral Is…

Girlfriends and Boyfriends, Let’s talk about breasts!

Bosoms, boobs, breasts, chest. We all have them…in one form or another. For some, they are nothing more than a body appendage we were born with. While for others, they are a vital part of our femininity or masculinity, an identifying factor of our emotional identity and sexuality. And still for some, they serve the most primal purpose of all…that of feeding our children. Or, really, could be all of the above!

Yet for 1 in 8 women and 1 in 800 men, our breasts are also ticking timebombs – and I was one of them…one of you. 

In my early 30s, without notice or warning or even so much as a minor gut feeling, I found myself in the throes of advanced and clinically aggressive breast cancer. BOOM! It hit me like a freight train that didn’t even try to slow down at the station. I quickly found myself fighting for survival while also trying to navigate through my new daily reality of lab work, infusions, needles, nurses, big words, bigger decisions. Wash, rinse, repeat.

In my case, the cancer didn’t hurt. I found it strange to be so close to death but feel no pain. I actually didn’t feel a thing. But going through the chemo, the surgeries, the radiation and the countless scans and procedures, presented other challenges. So in the spirit of sharing and caring, here are a few insights and thought-starters…from your girlfriend, who’s been there.

Insight #1: Girlfriend, a bad-hair day is better than a no-hair day!

For some women, thinking about losing their hair is even worse than losing their breasts. I get it. On top of feeling sick from the cancer drugs, your hair starts to abandon you as well. When chunks of my hair started to find their way onto the floor and the kitchen table, I shaved my head in the garage. It was both tragically sad and empowering all at once. But I felt strong…like GI Jane. It was an act I did FOR myself and not TO myself. It was something that I did to prepare myself for war!

Not everyone loses their hair from chemo. However, if you need to, picking a wig can be a delicate matter. You may want to choose a wig or a fall that resembles your natural hair color and style. Or you may want to just go bananas and try out fun options and colors. 

In my case, I had one great quality wig and then six or seven more just for fun. Each had her own name and persona, and I felt like I could escape into a new realm based on the wig I was wearing that day and the story I wanted to live in at that moment. 

My wigs ranged from long and dark (“Erica”) to short platinum blonde (“Francesca”) to strawberry pixie (“Jane”) to a black severe bob (think “Mia” from Pulp Fiction) and everything in between. There was a “Samantha,” a “Carrie,” a “Charlotte” and a “Miranda. Yes, my Sex And the City friends, you read that right!  With so few decisions we cancer patients have, choosing my wig each day gave me back a sliver of my own liberty and independence. 

Francesca was the sophisticated wig who joined me in the city for dinners with friends. She liked fine food and dirty martinis. She looked like a wig and therefore required a lot of confidence to pull off. Francesca was saved for the good nights when I had strength. I felt most like myself in Erica, but since I really didn’t feel much like myself most of the time, she made limited appearances. Erica was really just reserved for special occasions or dates with my husband. Mia came out when I was feeling extra sassy and often had a dark, morbid sense of humor.  But in the moments when energy escaped me and I was in recovery mode, a soft cashmere hat was my go-to. When I felt up to it, the wigs were an escape…chance to be creative and have a little fun when my body and mind and spirit aligned. 

The Moral Is: Fake hair, don’t care! Just make sure it’s on straight.

—————–

Insight #2: Girlfriend, having chemo does not mean that you will be hugging your toilet!

Vomiting sucks! After one outrageously indulgent night of college partying during my freshman year, which almost landed me in the emergency room and the university’s security office (not in that order), I decided that I would NEVER vomit again. My brain was seared with the debaucherous memories from that humiliating night, and I was determined to keep my word.

So, you can imagine the horror racing through my mind when I realized that I would likely experience severe nausea and vomiting from the dose-dense chemotherapy drugs I would be taking. I discussed my concerns (more like nightmare scenarios) with my oncologist, my nurses, the finance lady, the front desk secretaries, and the parking attendant. Anyone and everyone who encountered me at NYU knew my irrational fears about vomiting and kindly humored me by hearing me out each and every time I started to rant.

Luckily my oncologist took me seriously and prescribed anti-nausea medications before and after each chemotherapy infusion. My neurosis aside, apparently most cancer patients get these medications to minimize side effects. I was nothing special. But I am very happy to report that, to my great relief and even greater relief of my friends and family, I did not feel nauseous or vomit even once during my four months of chemotherapy. Not even once!

The Moral Is: A puke bucket also doubles nicely as a fruit bowl.

—————–

Insight #3: Girlfriend, breast cancer isn’t funny, but laughter is the BEST medicine!

I discovered that having a sense of humor about life’s challenges is an effective coping technique. 

As my cancer treatment progressed, I found humor in morbid things and moments that could seem macabre or dark to others. Like that time a teenage kid asked me in Costco about “the weird pipe” attached to my arm (my PICC line). Without missing a beat, I looked him, dead in the face, and sternly replied. “It’s for chemotherapy. I have CANCER.” His mother looked at me like I just shattered his innocence, and dragged him away without another word spoken. “Well, shithead,” I thought to myself, “…next time think twice about what you ask a stranger.” I was howling inside. So satisfied with my quick reaction. Probably not appropriate.

Or the time that I reached out to mindlessly touch the needle of the infusion syringe  – only to meet the earth-shattering screams from my oncology nurse, Peggy. “DONNNNN’T touch thaaaaat!” She yelled so loud that other nurses burst into my room and the friends sitting next to me looked as if they had been shot out of a cannon. When we all caught our breath, Peggy explained that the chemotherapy drugs were so toxic that one drop would literally slough the skin and flesh from my finger. Yes, she used the word “slough.” What in the mighty hell!?! “So, you’re pumping me with this poison for hours each time, but if I touch it for even one second, my flesh will melt away,” I asked Peggy in all sincerity. “Exactly!” was her response. After one beat of dead silence, the entire room erupted in laughter and disbelief. This time we howled out loud and while there was nothing funny about the situation, the absurdity of the moment was absolutely hilarious. Again, not appropriate.

Or the one time my very handsome, very successful friend, Steve, surprised me with a visit to the hospital room during an infusion. He grabbed the bedpan sitting next to me and looked at it quizzically. The room fell silent and all my girlfriends held their breath. Then he slowly looked up at me and I wanted to die from embarrassment when his gaze met mine. Because this was my college friend Steve who knew me when I was in my prime, in my glory…my friend Steve who I had shared years of laughs and crazy good times with…now looking at me, bald and sick, in the chemo ward, and holding my bedpan! The moment of tension was suddenly broken when he blurted out, “Hey, can I wear this thing as a sombrero?” Oh, we roared with laughter so loudly that I forgot my own situation for a minute and instinctively shushed everyone in the room, “Hey guys,” I said, “…we need to be a little quieter, there are sick people in here.” And then reality set back in. Still, not exactly appropriate behavior.

 

The Moral Is: Laugh often, hard and loud, especially when it’s most inappropriate!

—————–

Insight #4: Girlfriend, go to sleep with your make-up on, if you need to!

 

Rest is your friend when you are sick. When you are going through any part of cancer treatment, rest is your best friend, your boyfriend, your sister, your mother, your emotional support animal and everything in between. 

I am not a natural “rest-er.” Resting is actually exhausting for me. I’m the person who prefers to have too much to do than not enough…to be traipsing through an exciting new city rather than sitting on a beach. The state of relaxation is a foreign concept for me, and always has been. I was brought up to think that “I’ll rest when I die, but today, there is much to be done.” So my house is always organized, the laundry is always done, there are no dishes in the sink overnight. Make-up is off before bed, teeth are brushed, counters are clean and the plants are watered. I like to go to bed exhausted and feeling that I have accomplished many things.

During my cancer treatment, I was sometimes forced into a state of rest. I remember fighting a copious amount of Benadryl to stay awake so that I wouldn’t miss any part of a juicy story that my girlfriends were sharing. I recall being so hazy from the drugs that I couldn’t walk a straight line while out for a walk. Or too tired to eat my mom’s famous potato dumplings.  

I remember when my two best friends from Virginia drove up to spend a little time with me that I passed out in the bed after we went shopping. And when I tried to get up to take off my wig and make-up, they wouldn’t let me. They sat with me in bed and gave me permission to just…fall…asleep. It was the first time in all my adult years that I did not wash my face before bed. And THAT, I realized, was absolutely OK! The sun still rose…the world kept turning, and it was ok to just let go.

Gradually, I have learned that replenishment comes through rest, quiet and calmness. Stillness is sometimes necessary and waking up refreshed is a gift. That in order to be your strongest self, you need to be well-rested and well-watered (more than your plants), mind, body and soul.

The Moral Is: If the cancer tries to bury you, let it know that you’re a seed.

 

Thanks for reading, Girlfriend, and please share with your other girlfriends and boyfriends too!

And if you want to pen insights from your own cancer journey, click HERE. We’d love to hear from you!

 

Until next time,

-Your Girlfriend

The Girlfriend’s Guide to Breast Cancer, Chapter 1: The Moral Is…2022-10-11T21:44:08+00:00

TrialJectory 2020 Review: A Big Step Towards Cancer Patient Empowerment

2020 has been a difficult year for all of us. At times, we have been completely overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but throughout, we have persevered to make a difference in the lives of patients suffering from cancer. There is something about a cancer diagnosis that is paralyzing, resulting in loss of voice and confidence. Against this challenging backdrop, TrialJectory is committed to helping cancer patients regain control over their health journey.

This year, TrialJectory has worked diligently to shift the historical paradigm from a site and clinical trial sponsor-driven process, to a patient empowered process. Underpinning this sea change has been the introduction of technology, whereby our AI-powered digital health platform is democratizing cancer care for all patients – irrespective of their location or socioeconomic status. 

2020 Milestones

  1. Half of the total cancer patient population – 11 different types of cancer – can now use TrialJectory to get matched to cancer trials based on their condition and preferences, allowing patients to really understand their options and engage in a meaningful discussion with their physician.
  2. Launch of Treatment Finder, the first technology that allows cancer patients to view real-world treatment data from other patients who have a similar medical profile – i.e., the same cancer type, the same stage, the same genetic mutations and biomarkers – along with the treatment’s outcome and remission rates, whether patients experienced disease progression or toxicity and much more.
  3. Rapidly growing cancer community – Over 15,000 cancer patients are now using our platform to take ownership of their cancer journey.
  4. Proof of the power of tech + advocacy – We published the results of our partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, showing how powerful the combination of technology and advocacy can be in reaching patients in the community hospital setting who don’t typically have access to the best treatment from clinical trials.
  5. COVID monitoring app for cancer patients – In partnership with PRA Health Sciences and Care Innovations, we gave our community free access to the Health Harmony app allowing patients to track their COVID-19 symptoms, educate themselves about the virus, and speak to trained healthcare workers who are available to answer COVID questions.
  6. Launch of SaaS intelligence platform, Patient Match Optimizer, allowing pharmaceutical companies, for the first time ever, to identify patient barriers in their journey to participating in clinical trials. 
  7. TIME Best Invention of 2020 – Lastly, we are proud to note that TIME has selected TrialJectory’s AI-powered clinical trial matching platform for its “100 Best Inventions of 2020” annual list.”

COVID’s Silver Lining

From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve been wondering not just when it would end but how it would change us and our approach to providing access to the best, most advanced treatments for cancer patients. The long-term impact of the pandemic on our culture, politics and economy has amplified the inequalities and divides in our healthcare system. While the coronavirus has underscored the flaws of the American healthcare system, it may also indicate that a much-needed transformation is underway. This includes the expansion of the industry’s approach to healthcare through the use of telemedicine and online health tools. Without a doubt, patients’ use of digital health tools has increased during the pandemic which has led to many more patients enrolling in TrialJectory’s AI-powered digital health platform that is empowering cancer patients to find advanced new treatment options that fit their precise medical profiles.

The Decentralization of Clinical Trials

The next step in this evolution is decentralization of clinical trials, which is already happening in other areas of healthcare, and is now moving into the oncology space. To really change the cancer clinical trial industry, Big Pharma is beginning to pivot from the practice of setting up clinical trial sites and then searching for patients to a practice of identifying willing patients for a trial and then opening clinical trial sites – again, a more patient-centric approach. The focus will shift to integrating patients as partners in research rather than as simple subjects of research.

Getting treated for cancer during a pandemic makes everything a hundred times harder (In fact, I wrote a little piece about how it really SUCKS!), but the progress made towards patient empowerment in 2020, makes me feel even more hopeful for the future. 

That said, let’s all collectively SLAM THE DOOR on 2020 by sharing TrialJectory with someone you know who is in need. Clinical trials offer hope for a better tomorrow. 

Here’s hoping 2021 is that better tomorrow!

Sincerely,

Tzvia

Co-founder, cancer survivor, CEO

TrialJectory 2020 Review: A Big Step Towards Cancer Patient Empowerment2020-12-23T20:39:11+00:00

Health Decisions, OncoBay Clinical, and TrialJectory Partner to Provide Specialized Clinical Development Services in Women’s Oncology

Durham, N.C., and Tampa, Fla., December 1, 2020 – Health Decisions, Inc., a full-service contract research organization (CRO) specializing in women’s health clinical research and diagnostic and medical device development, and OncoBay Clinical, Inc., a full-service boutique CRO specializing in complex, early-phase oncology programs, today announced a partnership to deliver specialized clinical development services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing therapeutics, medical devices, and diagnostics in oncology. As partners, Health Decisions and OncoBay Clinical will leverage deep expertise in women’s health and oncology to enhance clinical programs for sponsors investigating new treatment options in gynecologic oncology and breast cancer.

“A collaboration between OncoBay and Health Decisions provides a clear advantage to sponsors seeking development support in women’s oncology. Our combined understanding of female-centric clinical trials and the complexities of studies in oncology will enable strategic and flexible end-to-end solutions for our sponsor partners,” said Dr. Patrick Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Health Decisions. “We believe the technical insight and operational agility created by combining our teams will allow us to accelerate clinical development activities, further supporting our mutual mission of improving the lives of patients around the world.”

“As a trusted oncology CRO, it was important for OncoBay to only form a collaboration with a best-in-class partner in women’s oncology that shared our vision and deep commitment to transform oncology research and positively impact cancer patients’ lives through innovation, collaboration, and partnership,” said Krystyna Kowalczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer of OncoBay Clinical. “We are honored to be partnered with Health Decisions, a long-standing and respected provider of clinical research services in the field of women’s health. Together, we look forward to delivering significant value to drug developers and physicians in their quest to cure women’s cancer.”

For many women, the first signs of cancer are discovered during routine visits to the gynecologist. Health Decisions and OncoBay will leverage a combined site network specialized in women’s health and oncology to expedite the identification of study participants. Health Decisions will also gain access to OncoBay’s unique technology ecosystem which includes a partnership with TrialJectory, a patient-first digital health company that uses artificial intelligence to curate large quantities of data produced by cancer research to match patients to clinical trials.

“With hundreds of thousands of women being diagnosed with cancer each year, it has become increasingly important to engage these patients where they are located and ensure access to the most advanced treatments for their exact diagnosis,” said Tzvia Bader, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, TrialJectory. “Through the team’s vast expertise in women’s oncology needs, both OncoBay and Health Decisions, coupled with TrialJectory’s AI-powered digital health platform, are providing the next generation of cancer care to countless women in need.”

About Health Decisions

Health Decisions is a full-service contract research organization (CRO) offering therapeutic, operational, and regulatory excellence for the clinical development of drugs, medical devices, and combination drug/devices in indications that impact women profoundly and disproportionately. Based on years of experience and aided by a site network of more than 500 high-performing women’s health sites, Health Decisions delivers clinical studies tailored to meet sponsor, patient, and regulatory needs. More than 90 percent of the Health Decisions’ staff specialize in women’s health research, allowing for hand-selected study teams uniquely suited to address the challenges of developing assets in areas including reproductive and sexual health, menopause, pain management, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and gynecologic oncology. Additionally, Health Decisions conducts diagnostic and medical device studies in all therapeutic indications, including women’s health, oncology, and infectious disease. For more information, visit www.healthdec.com.

About OncoBay Clinical

OncoBay Clinical is a boutique contract research organization (CRO) specializing in immuno-oncology/cell therapy, offering full-service custom-curated CRO solutions for global pharmaceutical and biotech companies looking to advance their immuno-oncology product or device. As a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of Moffitt Cancer Center, OncoBay embeds scientific expertise, operational excellence and integrated cell manufacturing capabilities providing true end-to-end control. Built on years of IO and cell therapy expertise, a streamlined technology framework, a highly trained site network, and a dedicated team of experienced professionals, OncoBay is committed to operational excellence from start to finish. For more information, visit Oncobay.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About TrialJectory

TrialJectory is a patient-first digital health company with a mission to democratize access to advanced cancer treatment. Recognized by TIME as one of “The 100 Best Inventions of 2020,” TrialJectory uses artificial intelligence (AI) to empower patients to own their cancer journey and analyzes its global patient community’s real-world data to empower cancer patients to make the most informed decisions about their care. For more information, please visit www.trialjectory.com, and follow the Company on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Health Decisions, OncoBay Clinical, and TrialJectory Partner to Provide Specialized Clinical Development Services in Women’s Oncology2020-12-01T13:46:17+00:00

TIME Selects TrialJectory’s AI-Powered, Clinical Trial-Matching Platform for ‘100 Best Inventions of 2020’ List

Annual List Highlights Groundbreaking Inventions that Change How We Live and Make the World a Better Place

 

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2020 — TrialJectory (“the Company”), an AI-powered digital health platform that empowers cancer patients to find advanced new treatment options that fit their precise profiles, announced today that TIME has selected the Company’s patient-first, clinical trial-matching platform for its “100 Best Inventions of 2020” annual list.

“Millions of Americans are currently suffering from cancer while also facing major difficulties navigating the complex, jargon-y world of clinical trials. This is unacceptable since these trials often provide better alternatives and result in better outcomes than the standard of care,” said Tzvia Bader, CEO and co-founder, TrialJectory. “AI is the key to democratizing cancer care for all patients – no matter where they are located or their socioeconomic status – and this is at the heart of TrialJectory’s work. Through technology, for the first time ever, patients now have a clear voice and say in their treatment journey, allowing them to effectively partner with their oncologists to determine the best plan for their individual diagnoses.”

Completely free for cancer patients, TrialJectory’s platform mimics the mind of an oncologist to discover all available clinical trial information in a way that a single doctor does not have the time or ability to do on his or her own. In addition to trial-matching, TrialJectory’s Treatment Finder tool is the world’s first technology that allows cancer patients across the U.S. to view real-world treatment data from other patients who have the same medical profile – i.e., the same cancer type, the same stage, the same genetic mutations and biomarkers – along with the treatment’s outcome / remission rate, whether patients experienced disease progression or toxicity and much more.

TrialJectory SaaS intelligence platform, Patient Match Optimizer, allows pharmaceutical companies for the first time ever to identify patient barriers in their journey to participating in clinical trials. From operational to design barriers, the platform uncovers factors that go into a patient’s early decision-making process during clinical trial pre-screening, which can directly impact trial recruitment and retention, and uses real-time real-world patient data to identify gaps within the trial design. By giving Big Pharma and CROs visibility into the data and predicting areas for optimization, the platform enables Pharma to shorten the enrollment period, reduce costs, and expedite time to market, ultimately bringing lifesaving drugs to the market sooner for patients in need.

To assemble the “100 Best Innovations of 2020” list, TIME editors and correspondents around the world solicited nominations, which were then evaluated on key factors that included originality, creativity, effectiveness, ambition and impact.

TIME Selects TrialJectory’s AI-Powered, Clinical Trial-Matching Platform for ‘100 Best Inventions of 2020’ List2020-11-20T14:52:40+00:00

Dr. Len on Cancer Care and Research in a COVID World

 

Dr. Leonard Lichtenfeld is a board-certified medical oncologist and internist who was a practicing physician for over 19 years and served as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the American Cancer Society at its Global Headquarters in Atlanta. He has long been engaged in health care policy on a local, state, and national level. We recently welcomed Dr Len to TrialJectory as a member of our board of advisors.

During this talk, Dr. Len spoke about the widespread effects COVID has had not only on the general population but specifically on cancer patients. Cancer patients who had to visit hospitals for the disease or their treatment often arrived hospitals testing negative and left testing positive for COVID. As cases escalated, cancer patients had to be increasingly cautious as they are at greater risk of dying or having serious complications from the virus. 

Evaluating risk vs. benefit

Visiting hospitals and testing sites put cancer patients at a higher risk of getting infected with COVID. Doctors began to make different recommendations on screening and treatment on a case-by-case basis.

Dr. Len described his decision to recommend people with average risk of cancer to delay screening. Because there would be a low chance of them having cancer, these patients would benefit more by waiting to get screened rather than put themselves at risk of getting COVID unnecessarily.

Different organizations are making recommendations for treating patients effectively without surgery to decrease their risk of getting COVID. These treatments include chemotherapy and different hormone treatments.

Long-term effects of COVID

Although delaying cancer screening made sense in the short-term, it created significant delays that may prevent doctors from diagnosing patients with cancer early enough to treat it effectively. Dr. Ben Sharp, the director of the National Cancer Institute, used data and modeling to predict that there is an estimated increase of 10,000 deaths because of these delays and the problems with continuing treatments and doctor’s visits that have occurred as a result of COVID.

Flu season during COVID

Because of social distancing and other COVID safety measures, Dr. Len suspects the flu will be less problematic this year. However, when someone gets sick this winter, they will wonder whether they have COVID or the flu. Sick individuals may not know how to proceed or which tests to get done in this case.

For this reason, Dr. Len suggests that anyone who is able to get a flu shot should get one this year and do so as early as possible. This is especially true for people around those with cancer, as having a community of safety surrounding these patients is extremely important.

COVID’s impact on research

Research has been progressing rapidly in recent years, but COVID has significantly impacted clinical research.

Many clinical trials had to be shut down, particularly those that required new drugs. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies have come together to try to work around the pandemic to make sure people can get their drugs. For instance, researchers are looking for ways to get drugs to patients who can no longer travel to get to their clinical trials.

Another problem with clinical trials is that there are lab tests and radiology studies that must be done. Researchers prefer to do these tests at the main research center, but they can now do them at local institutions. This allows the studies to continue running but introduces questions of the quality and consistency of the results.

Where are we today?

Dr. Len says that today, we are doing better than 7 months ago, but we are not at a perfect place. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the virus and what will happen in the coming weeks, especially with the predicted third wave approaching. COVID is here to stay for at least a little while, so everyone has to make adjustments in their everyday lives and learn to live with it.

There will eventually be a vaccine, but that will not happen tomorrow and even then it will not mark the end of the virus. Everyone must take precautions until then, and cancer patients must be especially cautious.

Making modifications to daily life

When entering a store, restaurant, doctor’s office, or any other enclosed space, Dr. Len suggests to be aware of how safe that place is. This includes making sure seats are far enough apart, people are staying distanced, hand sanitizer is available, there is outdoor seating, people are wearing their masks, there is plexiglass between customers and workers when possible, and more.

Hear more from Dr Len at Dr Len’s Blog: Expert perspective, insight, and discussion.

Dr. Len on Cancer Care and Research in a COVID World2020-11-18T21:57:48+00:00

Welcoming former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for American Cancer Society, Dr. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld to Our Advisory Board

“Dr. Len”, as He is Well Known in the Oncology Community, Will Help Guide TrialJectory’s Continued Efforts to Democratize Access to Advanced Treatment for Patients Around the World.

New York, N.Y. – November 10, 2020 – TrialJectory, an AI-powered digital health platform that empowers cancer patients to find advanced new treatment options that fit their precise profile, announced today that it has appointed Dr. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD, MACP, to the Company’s Clinical Advisory Board. Dr. Lichtenfeld previously served as the American Cancer Society’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer and has over four decades of in-depth cancer care experience across many aspects of cancer research and cancer care.

“Dr. Lichtenfeld, a nationally recognized leader in healthcare policy, will play a critical role in continuing to shape and inform TrialJectory’s offerings for cancer patients throughout the country, and across the globe,” said Tzvia Bader, CEO and Co-Founder, TrialJectory. “He understands how, through harnessing the power of technology, we can enable patients to take back control of their care and find advanced new treatments that are right for them. Furthermore, Dr. Lichtenfeld’s vast experience in preventing and detecting cancer early, improving patients’ quality of life and keeping his finger on the pulse of emerging cancer science and trends over the years will significantly help TrialJectory to provide patients with the tools that they need to successfully navigate their treatment journey.”

Dr. Lichtenfeld is a board-certified medical oncologist and internist who was a practicing physician for nearly two decades. In addition to previously serving as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the American Cancer Society for many years, he continues to be deeply involved in healthcare policy at the local, state and national level. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann Medical College (now Drexel University’s College of Medicine), and his postgraduate training took place at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, as well as the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and National Cancer Institute in Baltimore.

“Given our shared mission of empowering cancer patients with transformational new technology, I am eager to join the TrialJectory team so that I can leverage my unique skill set to support their growth,” added Dr. Lichtenfeld. “Throughout my career, I’ve always actively sought out opportunities where I thought that I could make a meaningful impact on patients’ cancer journeys to improve outcomes and the quality of their lives. I look forward to helping bring this truly innovative AI platform into the hands of patients in need all over the globe at this pivotal time in TrialJectory’s evolution.”

 

Welcoming former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for American Cancer Society, Dr. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld to Our Advisory Board2020-11-18T21:59:09+00:00

TrialJectory is a patient-first digital health company with a mission to democratize access to advanced cancer treatment. Recognized by TIME as one of “The 100 Best Inventions of 2020” and named an honoree in the AI and data category for Fast Company’s “2021 World Changing Ideas Awards,” TrialJectory uses artificial intelligence (AI) to inform and empower cancer patients to own their treatment journey. The only offering of its kind, TrialJectory also captures and analyzes real-world patient data that can be used to further evolve the oncology research landscape. For more information, please visit www.trialjectory.com, and follow the Company on Facebook and LinkedIn.

© 2022 by TrialJectory
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