Dear Friends,
The features in this issue of Momentum depict the broad scope of our growth, clinical and technical innovation, and outreach to the Tampa Bay community and beyond.
CAR T, an immune cell therapy that genetically reprograms a patient’s immune system to better attack cancer cells, is bringing hope and exciting promise. Dr. Jeff Backer, an Orlando emergency room doctor who was successfully treated with CAR T for a rare form of lymphoma.
In March, the cancer center made national news for this revolutionary lymphoma treatment. Dr. Frederick Locke is spearheading a non-Hodgkin lymphoma clinical trial that is expected to lead to the first FDA approval of CAR T-cell therapy later this year.
Teens and young adults diagnosed with cancer often face unique challenges at a time when they are becoming independent and planning their futures. Survivor Corrina Coutant tells of the isolation she once felt and how the Adolescent & Young Adult Program made a positive difference during her care and recovery.
Although cancer touches everyone, U.S. death rates from all cancers combined are 25 percent higher among blacks than whites. In this issue you will learn about Moffitt’s initiatives to further engage those most impacted by these disparities through a new fundraising effort, the George Edgecomb Society, which launched early this year.
Philanthropic giving is at the heart of all we do. It supports our mission and allows us to launch new programs in research, education and clinical care. It helps us to expand and build our infrastructure to serve our patients and community – as we work together and look toward the day when cancer is a thing of the past.
