FORREST BRADLEY’S FUNDRAISING PAGE

Until our heroes can be cured

This is my honored hero Linda Hightower. She is a friend and co-worker and is currently battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. Linda...this race is for you!

This past week I ran in 20 degree weather outside, and met some really good people that are just as dedicated to this cause as all of us!

I've done a little bit of reading on this disease and found some interesting things:

Hodgkin lymphoma will account for 8,490 cases (4,670 males and 3,820 females), and 65,540 cases will be NHL (non-hodgkin's lymphoma) (35,380 males and 30,160 females). (http://www.lls.org/all_page?item_id=8312)

These are people who are needlessly dying, and sadly enough, through no fault of their own. But there is hope. They say there can and will be a cure for this cancer! It's not just a pipe dream! Just look at this time line since 2002:

2002 Horning et. al. present results from phase II trial on rituxan for lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's

July 2003 Younes et al. publish a pilot study of rituxan in patients with recurrent, classic Hodgkin's disease

Nov. 2005 Klimm et al. in Germany further study Hodgkin's prognosis of Men vs. Women (see E. Epstein 1939 above) Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 23, No 31 (November 1), 2005: pp. 8003-8011

Dec. 2005 Mathas et al. determine the mechanism that causes normal B lymphocytes to mutate into the cancerous cells in Hodgkin's lymphoma

Dec 2005 Robertson, Knight, and Sharma determine the link between Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and several cancers including Hodgkin's lymphoma via molecular elimination of the retinoblastoma protein (Rb)

Oct. 2008 Lamprecht and Mathas discover Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is produced by Hodgkin's cancer cells (only thought until now to be in T Cells). This explains a great deal of the behavior of Hodgkin's including alot of other immune cells clustered around HD cells in cultures. Targeting IL-21 may be a potential treatment, possibly a test for the disease. Journal: Blood, Vol 112, No. 8, 2008, 3339-3347

(http://www.hodgkinshistory.com/info/timeline.html)

Research like this could never have been possible if it wasn't for the donations of generous sponsors such as yourself! A cure is within site, and can be attained, through persistance.

I have committed myself to raise $1,800.00 by April 6th. I am going to need your help in this effort! Please know that donations of any size are appreciated more than you know. Take a moment and choose the amount you would like to donate. This website is very secure, but if you would rather pay cash or check please feel free to do so. Please make checks out to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and send to the address below:

Forrest Bradley

9115 Everton

San Antonio, TX 78245

Please continue to visit my website. I will be providing updates as I progress in my fundraising and training efforts. I will also include pictures of those patients we are honoring. Your generosity changes lives.

Remember, "you may never see their faces...but to them, you'll always be a hero." -Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

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