Download Just Suppose Storybook

JUST SUPPOSE
THE SIDNEY KIMMEL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER AT JOHNS HOPKINS
THE STORY IS TOLD OF A
LITTLE BOY WHO FINDS THOUSANDS
OF STARFISH WASHED UP ON
THE BEACH AFTER A BIG STORM.
HOW COULD HE SAVE THEM ALL?
AFTER ALL, WHAT DIFFERENCE COULD
ONE PERSON POSSIBLY MAKE?
HE REACHED DOWN AND THREW
ONE FISH BACK IN, THEN ANOTHER...
“WELL, I MADE A DIFFERENCE
TO THIS ONE, AND THIS ONE...”
JUST SUPPOSE OUR COMMUNITY
SAW CHILDHOOD CANCERS THE
SAME WAY. IMAGINE THE KIND OF
DIFFERENCE WE COULD MAKE.
PLEASE JOIN US IN
CHANGE HOW THESE
ARE TARGETED AND
ONE CHILD AT A
HELPING
CANCERS
TREATED
TIME.
WHY JOHNS HOPKINS?
“WE’RE THE ONES LEADING THE WAY
—FINDING THE GENES, STUDYING WHAT THEY
DO IN TERMS OF THE BIOLOGY OF A PARTICULAR
PEDIATRIC CANCER, AND DEVELOPING MOLECULARLY
TARGETED THERAPY AGAINST IT.”
Donald Small, M.D, Ph.D.
Kyle Haydock Professor and Director of Pediatric Oncology
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
at Johns Hopkins
Cancer strikes more than 12,000 children each year,
claiming the lives of more children than any other
disease. But there is good news. We understand
the urgency of a search for the cure. Every child
we treat represents a future filled with possibility
and promise. At Johns Hopkins, we are pioneers
in all aspects of pediatric cancer research and
clinical care:
• For 21 consecutive years, the Johns Hopkins
Hospital has been ranked #1 in U.S. News
and World Report.
• We are recognized leaders in the research
and care of all pediatric cancers, including
leukemia, lymphoma, brain cancer, sarcomas,
and Wilms tumor.
• Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology is a
national referral center for stem cell and
bone marrow transplantation.
Our patients have access to the latest treatments
offered through cutting-edge clinical trials. The
Johns Hopkins Pediatric Survival Clinic is a national
model for care.
Our team of dedicated researchers and clinicians:
• train the next generation of pediatric oncology
clinicians and scientists in a joint fellowship
program with the National Cancer Institute.
• are leaders in translational medicine, turning
laboratory breakthroughs into new treatments.
• are on the forefront of developing targeted
therapies, the next generation of cancer
treatment.
Our scientists deciphered the genetic code of
medulloblastoma, one of the most common types
of pediatric brain cancer. A Johns Hopkins
researcher cloned the FLT3 gene, responsible for
many treatment-resistant leukemias, and identified
new drugs to block its effect. These kinds of
advances—based on decades of research—are what
set Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology apart and
bring real hope to our patients and families.
WHY NOW?
A GENERATION AGO, FEW CHILDREN SURVIVED A
DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER.
TODAY, THE OPPOSITE IS
TRUE—MOST CHILDREN HAVE A GOOD CHANCE FOR
SURVIVAL. THIS IS THE KIND OF CHANGE THAT
REFLECTS THE POWER OF RESEARCH, AND IT
IS THE HALLMARK OF JOHNS HOPKINS.
Now, we have the opportunity to make even
greater progress. For the first time in the history
of medicine, scientists are discovering how
mutations in DNA cause cancer. With this new
knowledge, we can develop molecularly targeted
therapies that treat the cancer without harming the
child. It’s an exciting time for pediatric oncology
researchers and clinicians at Johns Hopkins. Deadly
cancers like chronic myeloid leukemia can now be
controlled with daily medicines that have virtually no
side effects. Each advance leads us closer to the
future we envision—one where cancer no longer
threatens the life of any child.
Just suppose we were able to expand our
research effort, accelerating laboratory breakthroughs, creating new therapies against cancer
even more quickly, and conducting clinical trials to
learn how to use them best.
Support for Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology
does more than help the children we see and treat
in our hospital today. It helps our scientists and
clinicians develop the treatments that will benefit
children everywhere, long into the future.
We are the home to 21st century pediatric
cancer medicine.
The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center is the
home of Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology. This
new building offers the latest, most technologically
advanced treatments in a welcoming, family friendly
setting, providing a hospital experience only equaled
by the excellence of Johns Hopkins science and
medicine.
• The 11th floor of the Bloomberg Children’s
Center is dedicated exclusively to the
treatment of children with cancer.
• We have 20 private inpatient rooms, a playroom
for children, and a separate lounge for teens.
Our goal is to create a $30 million research
fund to facilitate monumental leaps in knowledge
and new cures for children everywhere.
Leukemias, sarcomas, lymphomas, brain tumors and
other forms of pediatric cancer affect thousands
of children each year. All too often, however,
research funds neglect childhood cancers to focus
on more common adult diseases. At Johns Hopkins
Pediatric Oncology, we understand that even one
child suffering from cancer is one too many. Our
research efforts are directed entirely toward the
cure of childhood cancers.
• Amenities for families include a sleeper sofa
in each room, lounges, showers, laundry
facilities, and 24-hour food service.
• Our outpatient unit provides private exam
rooms and infusion areas.
• We have an on-floor pharmacy serving only
pediatric oncology patients.
Help us turn science into survival. Support
the research that is making a difference in
pediatric cancer.
JUST SUPPOSE ...
YOU COULD HELP A CHILD WITH CANCER.
YOU CAN.
“I HAVE HOPE
THAT THE DOCTORS
WILL FIND A
CURE FOR CANCER,
AND EVERYONE WILL
BE HEALTHY AND WELL
IN THE FUTURE.”
ZOE, 13
LEUKEMIA SURVIVOR
FUTURE RADIOLOGIST
JUST SUPPOSE
WE COULD
MAKE ZOE’S
HOPE A REALITY.
WE CAN.
JUST SUPPOSE
hopkinsmedicine.org/kidscancer
Z O E ’ S S TO RY
ZOE BOONE’S NATURAL BEAUTY , easy smile and
confident manner make her one of those rare 14-yearolds who somehow escaped the awkwardness of
adolescence. What she hasn’t escaped, however, is
an incredibly challenging medical history, one that
would have left most adolescents defeated. Not Zoe.
It’s probably no mistake that the eighth grader’s favorite position to play on her school’s soccer team is
defender. She’s had a lot of practice.
Zoe’s problems began in the womb, when her
mother developed breast cancer. She began treatment
before Zoe was born, which bought her some time—
she passed away six years later. But Zoe’s exposure
in utero predisposed her to developing cancer.
When Zoe was 9, she was diagnosed with a rare
form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Fortunately
her sister Maxine proved to be a perfect match for a
bone marrow transplant.
After the transplant came a period marked by
nausea, weakness, and worries about infections attacking Zoe’s immune-suppressed body. When
Zoe finally returned to school the following year, she
initially had to wear a mask to reduce the chance of
infections. At one point, she required a feeding tube—
tough stuff for a 10-year-old.
Zoe hasn’t let cancer curtail her dreams for the future. Instead, she says, the experience has given her
inspiration. She’d like to become a radiologist.
C H I LD H O O D CAN C E R
LEUKEMIA
Leukemia is among the most common of the
pediatric cancers, and Kimmel Cancer Center researchers have been on the forefront of discoveries
that have dramatically altered its course. More than
three decades ago, our researchers introduced refinements in therapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia
(ALL), the most common type of childhood leukemia,
which resulted in a remarkable increase in cure
rates, and these advances continue.
identified and cloned the FLT3
gene and linked it to a treatment resistant type of
acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Based on his work,
our scientists have developed drugs that block the
gene and make the cancer more responsive to
chemotherapy. The discovery is now also providing
a desperately needed new clinical approach for
infant ALL, which currently has the lowest survival
rate of all the childhood leukemias.
DR. DONALD SMALL
For many patients, bone marrow transplant (BMT)
offers the best chance of a cure. An innovative new
approach, called halploidentical (half-identical) BMT
is making this therapy available to many more patients.
The treatment is only available at Johns Hopkins.
In a recent groundbreaking discovery, a pediatric
oncology researcher transformed a blood stem cell
into a beating heart cell. He believes the plasticity
of the blood stem cell provides important new
clues about how leukemia originates and how it
can be controlled.
L U C A’ S S TO R Y
LUCA ASSANTE
is the quintessential 3-year-old boy.
Whether he’s pretending to be Superman or
‘helping’ at his grandfather’s Italian restaurant
and deli, Luca is always on the go. Not even rhabdomyosarcoma—a fast-growing cancer of the
muscles—could slow him down. “He’d be at the
hospital for treatment and running around the
hospital halls,” recalls Lucia Assante, Luca’s mom.
Despite spending half of his young life in treatment for his cancer, Luca was blissfully unaware of
the severity of his illness. The sudden diagnosis and
related treatments, however, left his family reeling.
His parents, who thought Luca’s discomfort stemmed
from a bad case of diaper rash, were stunned to
learn he had cancer.
Initially, even aggressive chemotherapy did not
stop Luca’s stubborn tumor from growing. Ultimately,
the perseverance of his Hopkins team won out.
The tumor was now small enough to be taken out
with surgery. Today, Luca remains cancer-free. He
is happy to be back in the routine of attending preschool and spending time with his two sisters—and,
of course, helping out at his grandfather’s restaurant.
The Assante family credits Johns Hopkins with
making their ordeal bearable. “You couldn’t ask for
a better group of people to care for your child. In a
horrible situation, it was the best experience,” says
Luca’s mom. “They gave us hope.”
C H I LD H O O D CAN C E R
P E D I AT R I C S A R C O M A S
Treatment for pediatric sarcomas has not changed
much since the 1980s. Our experts believe that
future advances will come only from a deeper
understanding of the biology of these tumors, and
the translation of this understanding into clinical
trials. Our researchers are driving this progress.
As the leaders in deciphering the genetic code of
cancer, Johns Hopkins researchers are bringing
21st century-science to the fight against sarcoma.
They are working to understand the molecular
biology of the cancer and the genetic differences
that make some tumors more responsive to
treatment than others.
Another exciting new area of research is in
cancer stem cells. These cells represent a rare and
stealth population of cells that often escape the
assault of anticancer drugs and drive the growth of
tumors. Like the typical stem cell that helps form
and regenerate tissue and cells, cancer stem cells
are capable of limitless growth, self-renewal, and
the generation of new tumors.
Drugs that target cancer stem cells are currently
being studied in Ewing’s sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. With promising early laboratory data,
the team is working to move quickly to clinical trials.
N I C K ’ S S TO RY
NICK SELTZER’S MOTHER
describes her son as ‘an
old soul.’
Nick was an only child who enjoyed the company
of adults, had a knack for golf, and possessed a
hearty sense of humor. When he was just 8 years
old, he received a shocking diagnosis of brain stem
glioma, a relentless type of childhood brain tumor.
Currently, there is no cure for this cancer, but Johns
Hopkins pediatric oncologists, who specialize in all
types of brain tumors, are working towards one.
The brain stem connects the brain to the spinal
cord. It is the command center of the brain. All
information going to and from the body passes
through the brain stem. Experts at Johns Hopkins
likened Nick’s cancer to ivy growing around the trunk
of a tree. With a cancer so entwined in his brain
stem, surgery is dangerous and of little benefit.
Current anticancer drugs do little to fight it.
Radiation therapy temporarily staves off the inevitable,
but eventually the tumor continues to grow.
Nick passed away on Father’s Day, weeks shy of his
tenth birthday. His mother marvels at how, even
in the later stage of his illness, Nick stayed positive
and held onto his sense of humor. She recalls one
evening, when complications from Nick’s illness
rendered him unable to speak. Friends were visiting,
and Nick was trying desperately to relay something to
them. “He was laughing hysterically because we
couldn’t figure out what he was saying,” his mother recalls. “Up until the end, he was happy.”
C H I LD H O O D CAN C E R
BRAIN STEM GLIOMAS
There is no question that brain stem gliomas are
the most challenging of all the pediatric cancers,
but they may have met their match in Ken Cohen.
He is a hero among pediatric oncologists, one of
the few willing to dedicate his career to thwarting
these and other pediatric brain cancers.
“It is unbelievably difficult to look at a mother and
tell her there is nothing you can for do for her child,”
he says. “I don’t accept that.”
Working with basic scientists at the Kimmel
Cancer Center, he has developed a novel twodrug approach that targets and shuts down a
gene pathway involved in the growth of these
tumors. The new therapy, pioneered at Johns
Hopkins, is now being used to help children with
brain stem gliomas and high-grade astrocytomas,
another deadly form of brain cancer.
Cohen sees hope on the horizon. “This is a
new era in cancer research where, for the first time,
I believe we have the opportunity to offer the
chance of a cure to patients who before could not
be cured,” says Cohen. “We can conquer these
cancers. We will conquer these cancers.”
L AU R E N ’ S S TO RY
received
the devastating news that she had
a golf-ball sized cancerous tumor
in her brain. The pediatrician who
found Lauren’s tumor gave her
mother some crucial advice. She
said, “Take her, right now, to Johns Hopkins.”
Combined treatments of surgery, chemotherapy,
and radiation therapy cured Lauren. Six years ago,
when she learned her diagnosis, Lauren recalls
wondering, “Am I going to die?” Today she is a college student studying public relations and American
Sign Language. She is a voice for all children with
cancer, testifying before Congress with the Children’s
Cause of Cancer Advocacy and calling for increased
funding for basic research, drug discovery, and
ways to study and manage the long-lasting side
effects of treatment.
AT 13, LAUREN MURPHY
FAST FACT: In 2010, Kimmel researchers became the first to decipher the genetic blueprint of a pediatric cancer when they mapped
the genetic sequence of medulloblatoma.
C A R L A’ S S TO R Y
15-year-old, when a fall
down the steps revealed that she had osteosarcoma, bone cancer, in her leg. Her doctor sent
her straight to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Carla
underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy, but
ultimately her leg had to be amputated just above
the knee. She faced a lengthy physical and
emotional recovery in which she had to come to
terms with losing her leg and learning how to walk
with a prosthetic. Now, most people don’t even
notice that she has a prosthetic leg. Just five years
later, she has graduated from the Community
College of Baltimore County and plans to attend
the University of Maryland at Baltimore County to
pursue a career in veterinary medicine. When I look
forward in life,” Carla says, “I see myself as a person
who can take chances, who can become a leader,
who can understand what people are going
through, because I’ve been through a difficult
situation. I’ll never forget what happened, but I
won’t let it affect the person I’ve become.”
CARLA WAS AN ACTIVE