From a Doctors Perspective

Richard "R2" Rowe is one of our teammates. I've also had the pleasure of being on the run team with R2 this past Fall Season. R2 also happens to be a physician at Children's Hospital in Oakland and sees the effects of cancer on children and their families. This email was written by him today and sent out to our team as a little reminder of why we train and raise money for LLS. A perfect little note of inspiration as we get closer to race day.

It's mid-season, we've survived the training weekend and actually had an absolutely great time! The experience for me has been fantastic and I just wanted to share my perspective with you. I know that I couldn't speak these words coherently, e-mail is a bit easier.

I'm constantly inspired hearing Matt, Brenda, Vanessa, Lauren, Trevor and all the rest of our honorees. Believe me, seeing them survive and thrive always gives me a charge. Unfortunately I get jerked back to reality every once in a while. As you know, I'm a physician at Children's Hospital Oakland where we take care of way too many children with leukemia and lymphoma. Last week, a cute 6 year old boy, who had recently been admitted for AML (acute myelocytic leukemia) was being treated in our ICU and died. He had undergone the initial chemo (AML is a bad player and requires more aggressive treatment). He had responded well: his leukemia was melting away. Chemo works by killing rapidly dividing cells, so as the leukemia is going out of control, it can be stopped in its tracks. Unfortunately there are a lot of other cells that you depend on that are rapidly dividing: the rest of your marrow that produces red blood cell, the normal white blood cells (that help fight infection), and platelets (that help stop bleeding), as well as your GI tract and hair. So as he was being put in remission, his bone marrow naturally is suppressed. He received transfusions of blood and platelets to make sure that his levels were okay.But he was getting sicker, so he was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The staff was playing with him, since he was so charming and interactive, even when feeling sick. His dad was there, he got lots of attention and care. But his blood oxygen levels continued to fall and he received supplemental oxygen. Suddenly, he was in dire straits, a code was called, he was intubated (placement of a breathing tube), but he continued to deteriorate and died.

I don't know about you, but 6 year old kids are supposed to be going to first grade, loosing their first tooth, being silly with their family and friends. Not ending up dying in the PICU. Not succumbing to the ravages of this disease. Not making everyone with this disease wonder if
they will be the next one.

That's why I'm so committed to Team in Training. I'm glad that you don't have to see this. I hope that no one has to experience this. But it's still here and your hard work this season is so important to help find a way to treat this disease more effectively, with less side effects, and
the hope for greater survival and less disability and death. In my years of being a doctor I have seen an amazing improvement in the care and survival of children with leukemia and lymphoma. Believe me, every dollar earned through TnT is having an impact.

So, I thank you, my patients thank you, our honorees thank you. Sorry for the grim news, but I hope that you all know that raising that next dollar, going to the next training session, and pushing towards the finish line of your race is one of the most important parts of your
life, and as you have heard, of many other lives.

Go team!
R2