Do we really care? Do we even understand the implications of our today’s decisions or rather our indecisiveness. We as a society are drawn more and more towards distractions. The sum total of our social responsibilities comes down to viewing select few documentaries and commenting on the myriad social media platforms of how we are really moved. Yet, our daily life remains unmoved. Until a point comes and when we really get hit hard.
Past one year, I am amidst the statistics of rare cancer. Cancer is a term collectively used for 400 types of different malignant diseases. 380 of these types are rare. 1 in 3 victims of cancer are diagnosed of this rare type. In the year 2018, USA documented almost 3 million cancer patients and 550,000 of these patients were rare cancers.
We want to believe our way of world is fine and all shall be well. Tell that to the parents who are living in the hospitals with their children undergoing chemo or radiation. What does it take for us to stop children being treated as guinea pigs by doctors who are limited in their understanding of the rare cancer volcanic landscape not intentionally but because as a society we have failed to arm them with adequate information. Accurate diagnosis is hard due to inefficient infrastructure of molecular level screens. There is no consistency within the medical community on a host of cancers regarding the best treatment regiment. Specialists are unaffordable for many without top line insurance coverage.
I am often asked why can’t I prioritize the rare cancers since there are already so many cardiac and diabetic researches going on. Or for that matter, Breast and lung cancer therapies are abundant. My only response is there is no profit.
Health care industry can only benefit from a diseased society. Clean air, purified water, nutrient rich natural diet and a regularly exercising stress free population will eventually cause nightmares for hundreds of CEOs. We are happy to be glued to ever aspiring TV shows, dismal political conflicts, buying our sodas and sweetened cheap fast food and paying for our weakening health. Everything I have written so far is all well known to all. Writing doesn’t matter no more. Feelings and emotions become redundant. Getting in the field to make an effort to do something has only taught me the investor dot com mentality of immediate gratifications and fast turning of profits with ever increasing margins. Make no mistake, even the mightiest of benefactors with their full page articles of generosity only back the horse ready to win the clinical trials. If you have a target candidate to take to the patients, then will the money roll and that too after the profit pie is adequately divided.
The journey from nothingness to identifying the potential target requires a massive research infrastructure. The labs with its invitro 2D & 3D cultures and new age reagents, the rodent proof of concept studies, the need for people often pulling genius rabbit ideas out of their really poor hats all the time keeping the spirits high. A rare cancer startup is where I have learned more about caring and truly being meaningful. Living with caregivers of patients and being led by a survivor, this journey marks a new hope. This is the 20th of April, 2019. I am forced to become a better person and keep my selfish needs to myself just this once for the greater good. I want to believe I can do this and not run away again as is my habit of escape. I escaped India to avoid drowning in the endless apathy. This time it’s different. Today I feel I may have a fighting chance.
Here is a toast to hope!
