Thursday Evening In Florida.....November 15th

Today was a special day as we went to the Moffitt Cancer Institute where leading edge research on cancer is taking place.....we attended a forum where a leading research doctor talked about lung cancer and it's toll as well as the fact that even though it is the leading deadly cancer it is lacking in funding etc. as compared with other cancers......the statistics were sobering. He went on to say: "there's not even a race for a cure"......meaning other cancers have fundraising events going on but yet this cancer lags significantly behind with little to show in efforts to fund for research.

He explained how the research is proceeding...getting a bit technical but he talked about how bad proteins are formed that cause the ultimate cancer cells and how the right medications can "turn off" the protein formations. They are getting to the point where they can identify which proteins a patient has and then prescribe the right medications...

There were two testimonials by two lung cancer survivors..one a stage IIIB (like Linda) and a stage IV).....very heart felt and perhaps inspirational.

A panel of doctors and nurses then answered questions and were most informative. One doctor talked about how his patients played better golf after lung removal surgery.......when pressed about why he said the patients no longer had what it took to "kill the ball"...therefore playing better.

We were glad we went.....it is a very large complex.....we believe Linda's doctors in Bend are benefiting from this complex and its research.

Dave..