All of us at Starbright Floral Design try to give back to our community as much and as often as we possibly can. From time to time we find something that is newsworthy that involves one of the not-for-profit organizations that we work with.
Doing some simple surfing on the web (note to employers: let your employees surf!) found some very interesting articles, paraphrased them and is contributing to this blog entry. Our comitment to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is never ending. We hope that this results in a cure… Please take the time to read on. It is a great post that is full of hope.
Bill Ludwig is a grateful man today, a year after he was told that within weeks he would die from his leukemia. Then he received an experimental treatment.
Traditional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation may hold the disease at bay, but are not cures and have significant side effects. Until now the only known cure has been a painful, dangerous and ineffectual bone marrow transplant.
Research published by doctors at the University of Pennsylvania in the New England Journal of Medicine studying experimental treatment given to three patients says the treatment made the most common type of leukemia completely disappear in two of the patients and reduced it by 70 percent in the third. Each patient had up to five pounds of cancerous tissue melt away within a few weeks and a year later it is still gone.
HOW IT WORKS
Certain types of white blood cells were removed from the patients. The cells were altered by using the HIV virus (modified harmless version) to insert of a series of genes. The process produced white blood cells designed to target and kill cancer cells. After developing large batches of these cancer targeting white blood cells, they were injected back into the patients. The implanted cells then reproduced and relentlessly hunted and killed the cancer cells in the blood, bone marrow and lymph tissue. As the white cells killed the cancer cells, the patients experienced the fevers and aches and pains that one would expect when the body is fighting off an infection, but beyond that the side effects were minimal.
WHY HAS THIS REMARKABLE TREATMENT BEEN TRIED ON ONLY THREE PATIENTS?
The answer is funding. Money for this research came from private sources. Starbright is a firm believer in giving back to our community. Each year we humbly donate our services to charitable organizations and causes as diverse as the great city for which we owe our success to. Our objective is to assist, in a small way; these organizations raise the necessary funds to achieve their goals. Among the organizations we have proudly contributed is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). The mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is to cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkins disease and Myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Last year, LLS invested $72 million in 400 research projects in the U.S., Canada and 11 other countries, including $25.3 million in 38 research projects in the New York City area. Every dollar is treasured, especially in these difficult economic times. If it is within your means and wish to contribute to this great cause please visit their website at www.LLS.org/nyc.
This scribe is brought to you from all of us at Starbright Floral Design. We are big supporters of all things to eradicate Leukemia. We hope that you will join us in contributing to this fight.
If you would like to read more about Starbright, who we are and the scope of the work that we do, please visit our website.
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Thank you!
The Starbright Team
Blooming Thoughts 