From Dr. James Pollack

Monroe

To the editor:

Eight years ago, I received word that my oldest grandchild had acute lymphocytic leukemia. Ella was three at the time. During my early years of medical training, this diagnosis was basically a death sentence, but much to my delight, thirty years of painstaking research and clinical trials had led to a chemotherapy program with a very high success rate. Today Ella is a lovely, healthy twelve-year-old. Several months ago, I received word that my youngest grandchild also has cancer. Declan is seven months old, and has a rare, very aggressive tumor. In fact, there is such little information that it is difficult to decide on the best therapy. He currently is receiving wonderful care at the American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, on a program involving chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation.

On November 27th at the Monroe Middle School there will be an American Cancer Society fundraiser, “Shop for a Cure”, featuring fifty booths offering Christmas items for purchase. Declan will have a booth there, and I would like you to consider lending your support to this cause. Medical knowledge is expensive to come by and sometimes painfully slow in coming but we need to continue to press ahead.