“On the wedding day, I’m going to take my daughter away.”
Eric told me without hesitation, even though he had just been diagnosed with colon cancer with 35-year-old liver cancer. At that time, his disease was considered incurable.
But a new study has just been published showing that patients like Eric can be cured with aggressive surgery and chemotherapy. I introduced his case at a cancer conference in the hospital. Most of my colleagues refuted the idea, but one surgeon agreed to try it. Together we provide Eric with a path forward.
Twenty years later, Eric is still free of cancer. He has two adult daughters and a son. There is no aisle to walk, but he is still preparing here.
Eric's situation is no longer an exception. Over the years, meticulous research has proved that it was once impossible: We can cure about 25% of patients with stage IV colon cancer who have metastasized to the liver. Thanks to clinical trials, chemotherapy has improved significantly. We even use the immune system to treat certain types of colon cancer.
None of this happened by chance.
The author's patient Eric at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with his wife Kristine in 2024. Courtesy of Eric Jablonski
Advances in cancer treatment are fueled by federally funded research. The U.S. government provided about 57% of global cancer research funding between 2016 and 2020. Research turns anecdotes like Eric into daily events, turn the death penalty into a survival story, and gives patients access to tomorrow’s care today.
Recently, the Trump administration cuts college funding, not only threatening the future of cancer care. They erode the hope of every family facing a devastating diagnosis. This is an auction for the future of the United States, and the lifeline of each university went twice at a time and disappeared.
$400 million was cut from Columbia University. $790 million from the Northwest. Cornell $1 billion. $2.2 billion from Harvard University. As President Donald Trump has been trying to develop greatly, every successive cut will become bigger, which is to undermine the world record of medical advancement.
I can argue statistics all day long to show how federal investment in medical research can help your family members live longer and better. Advances in screening and early detection mean we are capturing cancer early or preventing it altogether. As a result, fewer people are developing advanced cancer, while fewer people die.
Between 1991 and 2020, cancer mortality rate dropped by one third. The survival rate of childhood leukemia soared from about 50% in the 1970s to more than 90% today. We also know how to reduce risks through proven strategies such as wearing sunscreen to prevent skin cancer or quitting smoking to significantly reduce the chance of lung cancer.
Now, the research system for Eric patients like Eric is now being removed, just like my family and I need it most.
“My dog dodge is right next to me when I face a challenging day,” the author wrote. Courtesy of Jennifer Obel
My daughter and I have a genetic condition called HyperMobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (ED), where the connective tissue that holds our bodies together stretches out like an overused rubber band. It affects almost every part of us: our joints transfer painfully; our digestive tract is slow; and the warm summer days overheat us. A recent study showed that 500 people may have this condition, more than once believed.
Currently, there are no genetic markers for speeding diseases. No diagnosis of blood test. No verified medication. There is no consensus on diagnosis or how to manage patients like us.
Without answers, I became my own research project. Without guiding my research, I turned to basic science, read animal studies, pieced together theories, and viewed my body as a case study.
I tried anecdotal promising but untested treatments: stem cell injections to tighten ligaments in the spine, high doses of vitamin C injections, bodybuilding exercise regimens for burn care, and even testosterone and peptides to try to tighten my joints.
None of these are ideal. None of these have been proven. None of these are completely safe. However, when there is no roadmap, you will try to navigate yourself.
The author strengthened her hypermotor joints at home using Neurac Redcord, a system of suspended slings and vibrations that activate deep, stable muscles, ideal for managing joint instability and motor control challenges in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (ED). Courtesy of Jennifer Obel
As a doctor-turned patient, I am learning to live in ways that my condition is declining and improvising physical needs.
When the current government cuts NIH’s staff and budget, research on ED is just gaining momentum and providing billions of medical research grants to universities across the country. These huge cuts threaten not only rare conditions like EDS, but also future breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer, heart disease, dementia and countless other diseases.
Unlike the president’s massive tariffs, there is no bond market that can alert you in risky or unwise policy decisions. The consequences of withdrawing support for medical research are not immediately felt. They will come quietly – missed diagnosis, never coming treatment, life shortened. Once lost in those years, they disappear forever.
As a parent, I can accept everything that happens. But I will not accept that my daughter has to face a future without progress or answers. No parents. She deserves something better.
It's not just my daughter's future on this line. This is the future of every family relying on science to save the people they love.
The author and her husband relaxed along Lake Michigan when their daughter was a toddler. Courtesy of Jennifer Obel
Dr. Jennifer Obel is a retired oncologist and former spokesperson for the American Society of Clinical Oncology, whose research focuses on the quality of life in patients with metastatic cancer. She leads a team of oncology quality improvements as part of her organization’s early care program. Dr. Obel has also served as the principal investigator in several palliative oncology studies and is supported by federal agencies and private foundations. In retirement, she remains committed to promoting an understanding of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and focuses on maintaining her well-being through exercise and self-care.
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