Yesterday on my show, Survive and Live Well, on W4CS, Dr Kathleen Ruddy spoke about a breast cancer virus that might be involved with 40-75% of breast cancer. She also discussed a preventive vaccine developed at the Cleveland Clinic by Professor Vincent Tuohy that is ready for safety testing in women and may also be effective against the viral form of breast cancer. Unfortunately, both the virus and the vaccine have received little attention and scant funding.
The virus in itself is not news to me or others; Kathleen and I spoke about this a year ago, and it received national attention via a video Dr. Ruddy made that was nominated best short film of the Breast Fest Breast Cancer Film Festival 2010. However, what amazes me is that in addition to the paucity of attention about the virus, there is equal disregard for the first preventive breast cancer vaccine that Professor Tuohy developed, for he has yet to get the funding for clinical trials to test its efficacy in women. So why is it that there is not funding for trials? If not for lack of awareness, what is it?
Many people are not aware that this vaccine is at the trial phase; it just needs the funding and we could likely prevent and possibly cure millions of breast cancers. It saddens and infuriates me that greed and ignorance may be getting in the way. In fact, there is a prominent member of the breast cancer world who likely has the power to garner the funds needed, but instead seems to want to wait until 2020 for the magical end. Shame on those who are holding us back; how can they say they are out to make change, to end breast cancer. Let’s end breast cancer now; why wait? If you would like to be part of this initiative, please contact Dr Ruddy. If you have something to say regarding this topic, please let me know, you just might be invited to share your thoughts on the show.
I posted on this subject back in July of 2011…to read this post and a repost on Dr Ruddy’s site:
http://elynjacobs.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-race-is-going-in-wrong-direction.html
http://breastcancerbydrruddy.com/?p=2899
The following is a plea written by IBC survivor Cindy Sullivan. Thank you Cindy, for helping to get the word out on the need for funding; we need to get this vaccine to trial.
To read another great post on the subject by Susan Beausang:
http://www.lymphomainfo.net/blog/syndicated/dreaming-the-breast-cancer-vaccine
“His vaccine is ready to be tested for safety in humans, but guess what. Komen has turned him down for funding 3 times and Avon has refused to even consider it. Hmmmm…. Maybe Mr. Tuohy scared the queens of pinkwashing when he said, ‘If it works in humans the way it works in mice, this will be monumental. We could eliminate breast cancer.”
I would now add that the NBCC is looking to end breast cancer in 2020; the rest of us are in a bigger hurry. Likely they could be added to the list of “queens of pinkwashing”, but that is my opinion. Why is it that they are not supporting a vaccine ready to go to trial now?
For more information on Professor Tuohy’s vaccine:
http://www.cancernetwork.com/display/article/10165/59788http://www.autoimmune.com/HMTVGen.html
Elyn Jacobs
Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and wellbeing. To learn more about Elyn’s coaching services, please visit: http://elynjacobs.com.
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[…] to the subject; sadly, she is hardly alone in her plight. Last week we spoke about a potential vaccine for cancer, but until we have that, we still have to treat our cancer. So today on the show, my […]
Hello, Elyn, it was nice meeting you. I’ve read CANCER A SECOND OPINION by German Doctor Josef Issels. Germany was using vaccines for cancer thirty years ago. That’s how far behind America is. If they could cure cancer with a shot, don’t you suppose lots of money would be left lying on the table? All those cruel surgeons need to make payments on their new Mercedes.
Hi Bob, it was nice meeting you as well. Sadly, this is often the case. In Germany and elsewhere there are kinder and cheaper remedies, but then if we opted for those, well yes, what would happen the the “cancer” industry here?
Twenty-one years ago, when only 34, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had felt a large lump in my breast. I had two small girls at the time. I had chemo and a double masectomy. It was devastating. I lost all my hair and my breasts. I am so grateful that I survived because it was an aggressive form of breast cancer. No one in my family ever had breast cancer. I had asked my doctor back then, would there be a cure when my girls are in their 20’s. She said definitely. Well, 2l years later and there still isn’t a cure. Please fund Dr. Tuohy. We are in desperate need of a vaccine to prevent my girls, your wives, your daughters, sisters, mothers and nieces from getting this terrible disease. Don’t you understand that Dr. Touhy has discovered a breakthrough, but needs funding. What are you waiting for.
Thanks for stopping in Kathleen. Indeed, what are we waiting for. It’s time to get this vaccine through trials and into the hands of doctors so that we may protect others from this horrible disease.