Jeopardy fans - A one-year update from Alex:

[Dennis Donovan]

Link to tweet

Good to hear!

[CatMor]

1. Fantastic news ...

he is amazing given his age.

[Me.]

2. Good For Him

[emmaverybo]

3. Wow.

[magicarpet]

4. Such a nice man.....

[MagickMuffin]

5. That's great news

And of course Alex can afford his treatment. There are a lot of people who cannot.

I never had insurance until the ACA came along (Thanks Obama) now that I can see a doctor they keep trying to get me to take a series of test. I have to explain that I really don't want to know because preexisting conditions could some day become a reason to deny me treatment or even insurance.



People have been going bankrupt because of cancer. There's a reason that there isn't a cure, too much money to be made keeping everyone sick.

[Disaffected]

6. Groan

"There's a reason that there isn't a cure, too much money to be made keeping everyone sick."

[patphil]

14. I worked for a Pharmaceutical Company for 35+ years.

A vice-president of the company once said that the emphasis was on creating drugs to manage symptoms, but not to cure the patient.
He said, "Cure the patient, and lose a customer."
This guy actually said that in front of about 400 Quality Control workers at Lederle Laboratories several decades ago. That company is now part of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. The company may have changed, but profit still drives the whole pharmaceutical sector.
I am sure the philosophy is still in place.

[Disaffected]

16. It's the generality of the statement I object to.

I would not doubt that at least some pharmaceutical companies have such a mind-set but there are many other institutions in academia, NGOs and government who are also heavily engaged in cancer research and I seriously doubt all of those are holding back or suppressing promising cancer treatments (as further evidenced by the considerable advances that have been made over the last few years). The same sort of thing hold true I would think for antibiotic & vaccine research (in which big pharma sometimes seems not very interested).

[frazzled]

8. He's probably just lucky

My friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year ago October, and despite top notch insurance and highly advanced medical care, he was gone by early April.

There are hundreds of types of a given kind of cancer, and hundreds of different responses to treatment. Our friend underwent advanced immunotherapy treatment (he was beyond surgery by the time the cancer was detected) but it didn’t work for him. Others respond miraculously.

My spouse had a miracle response to treatment for advanced-stage lymphoma. A surgeon who went over his records said it was amazing. Many in his condition would not have responded.

It’s about the type of illness and your own body’s makeup.

[MagickMuffin]

9. Indeed

I had a niece who had breast cancer. Family sold off the ranch to help pay for her treatments. She did not survive after all the treatments only helped her live a year after starting. She was in her early 30's when she died.

[hibbing]

7. Good for him, what an outstanding statement

Took my father in less than a month. I'm glad to see he remains positive.

Peace

[Baked Potato]

10. Hope he beats it.

[malaise]

11. Thanks

great news

[NurseJackie]

12. 💗💗💗💗💗

[karin_sj]

13. I'm glad he made it

My brother died from pancreatic cancer a little over a year ago. It was only weeks from the time we all found out about it until he died. It's a horrible disease and I hope that one day they will find a cure for it.

[Fla Dem]

15. Good news. Everytime I hear someone has pancreatic cancer, my heart just stops.

A dear friend of mine got it and passed away within 6 months. So Alex surviving a year gives hope.

[KPN]

17. Good for him. My bother-in-law waas diagnosed several years ago with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer

as well. He beat the odds for a while -- 19 months -- and I'm 100-percent convinced it was in part due to the his out-sized positive attitude, good humor, and compassion for and genuine liking of people of all walks of life and color. Being a "good" person can take one a long way, even in the face of pancreatic cancer. All the best Alex, hang in there!

[Maribelle]

18. I am so happy for this remarkable man