Article in Wall Street Journal Dec 15-16, 2007

[Guest guest]

Dear All;

Judy asked me to read this article in the Wall Street Journal, about a father desperately trying to save his seven year-old son, Sam, with a rare cancer. The father is 'pushing the envelope' on treatments, trying novel, unorthodox cocktails of drugs and supplements (including omega-3's), as a last resort. He has also started a small foundation to fund research.

Lab Rat?

Sam Hutchison has cancer. His father is seeking a cure beyond the edge of medicine.

By GEETA ANAND

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119759308934528357.html?mod=health_home_stories

I was struck by some of the similarities, especially the foundation involvement, and the drug/supplement cocktail approach (our son is on a cocktail of high dose ursodiol, asacol, rifampin, omega-3's, folic acid and vitamins). The description of Sam's father in his "war room" jammed with a desk top, stacks of books, and tubs overflowing with printouts of research papers, is a pretty good description of my own home office space! It must be something in a father's genes that makes them do this when their kids have an 'incurable' illness? But it doesn't make it any easier playing "lab rat" with your own kid.

Best wishes to all for the holidays, and happy New Year. Let's hope for a big breakthrough in PSC research in 2008.

Dave R.