Seasons Greetings to one and all.

Merry Xmas and a peaceful New Year to all of you.

This article is a reminder of how far we have all come over the last decade or so.
We send our special thanks and all our good wishes to Dr. Brian Druker.

Sandy

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A CONVERSATION WITH BRIAN J. DRUKER, M.D.
Researcher Behind the Drug Gleevec
By CLAUDIA DREIFUS
Published: November 2, 2009

Q. YOUR FRIEND AVICE MEEHAN OF THE HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE SAYS THAT YOU HAVE THE MOST AMAZING PERSEVERANCE. IS THAT WHAT IT TOOK TO MAKE GLEEVEC HAPPEN?

A. I think I’m more perseverance than smarts. There’s a basketball player who says, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Well, I work hard. I understood that this project was too good to give up on. My patients needed me to do something to help them. I did everything I could by getting them a drug I thought would work.

When the drug looked like it was finally going to be approved, I was interviewed by a reporter from People magazine, Alexandra Hardy. She asked, “Who are your good friends?” I said: “I don’t have any. I work, eat, sleep, go to the gym.” She said: “You’re pathetic. You’ve got no balance in your life.”

Well, there is now. Alexandra and I got married, and we have three wonderful children.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/science/03conv.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&#