15-Year-Old Develops Cancer Test

One thing I have learned in my work for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is how important it is to find the best scientists to come to St. Jude to do their best work and help us continue to be leaders in finding cures and saving children's lives. So you can imagine the excitement I felt reading about 15-year-old Jack Andraka from Marlyand, the winner of this year's Intel Science and Engineering Competition. His winning entry was a simple and inexpensive test that helps with early detection of pancreatic cancer.

I immediately sent this article to Dr. Bill Evans, the CEO of St. Jude, and he was equally excited. An invitation to both Jack and some of the other science winners to St. Jude is in the works. I know how inspiring it will be for both the doctors and especially the kids who are fighting cancer to see that other young people are dedicating their lives to helping find the cures to cancer and other deadly diseases.

I hope you will be as inspired by this bright teenager as I was.

 

Follow Marlo Thomas on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MarloThomas

Comments

[brutusmojo]

07:07 PM on 06/11/2012

All the troubles and sorrow our society is exposed to by those we wish were not there,then a wonderful young man as this enters the scene,and makes a long sought light of inspiration of hope and goodness,all on his own.Bravo and thank you young man, good luck on all your ventures.

[ancientuno]

10:06 PM on 06/10/2012

As wonderful as this is, I'm sure at some point the patent will be bought up by the health care industry and it will not see the light of day. We can't cut into the profits of our private health industry now can we.

[Imichael]

08:00 PM on 06/10/2012

When I grow up I want to be just like Jack. At 54 I don't have much time.

[brutusmojo]

06:54 PM on 06/11/2012

me too and I'm 64

[edgraham]

12:23 PM on 06/12/2012

Never too late...Oh wait, I'm 74 - - maybe it is...

[SeaSalty58]

07:15 PM on 06/10/2012

The biggest problem in detecting pancreatic cancer has always been that by the time there are symptoms, the cancer has already spread out of control. This is an enormous breakthrough.

[Despyria]

07:12 PM on 06/10/2012

Public Schools anyone?

[Skunkman]

07:10 PM on 06/10/2012

Youth is not a time of life-it is a state of mind. Nobody
grows old by merely living a number of years; people
grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years wrinkle
the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
Jack Andraka you will never grow old. Nice going.

Mike:

[aloharob]

01:16 AM on 06/11/2012

Aloha mike
This makes me weep with joy
Mahalo
Rob

[Skunkman]

07:39 AM on 06/11/2012

Good morning, Rob: Why I post this stuff is a little weird? :-)
On the other hand it gave me a chance to say hello to a smashing
fellow. As for you weeping thank you for the laugh.:) You have a
terrific sense of humor & your posts are smart. I'm proud to have
you as a friend. Take care of that foot. lol

Faved

Mike:

[Asmodean1]

07:01 PM on 06/10/2012

A 15 year old did this? Odd. Kinda odd and unbelievable isn't it. Odd that billions have been spent on cancer research and nothing ever seems to get accomplished. Odd you hear very few advances really at all. There are really no breakthroughs are there? Yet this outstanding young man with "no loss of a job or income" due to a breakthrough did a huge favor to cancer patients. Ever think of the "cancer foundation programs" as an industry? --- That needs job security?

[Asmodean1]

07:05 PM on 06/10/2012

Not to get on a soap box but the common cold is the same. If it was eradicated entire shelving units at the store would be empty - Another multi billion dollar industry.

[SeaSalty58]

07:34 PM on 06/10/2012

Cancer research is not only a business, it's Big Business. Here's something else that's odd: my maternal great-grandmother died of breast cancer 70 years ago; my paternal grandmother died of breast cancer 45 years ago. Why hasn't breast cancer research come a LOT further by now? We can cover ourselves in pink ribbons from head to toe, but that won't change one hard fact: a cure for cancer is not good for the bottom line.

[Asmodean1]

07:57 PM on 06/10/2012

Tens of thousands would be outta a job. F&f

[JayInDallas]

05:10 PM on 06/10/2012

Just wow. See what happens when we nurture education instead of continuing to dumb down the future of the greatest country on the face of the earth by demonizing teachers and cutting school programs?

[cynt77]

03:09 PM on 06/10/2012

Great, young man. You, and others like you, are who the President wants funds steered.

[JayInDallas]

05:06 PM on 06/10/2012

What could be more deserving?

[cynt77]

09:03 PM on 06/10/2012

Mankind needs them.

[SmartladyDem]

10:58 AM on 06/10/2012

Yeah Maryland schools!

[tendril]

06:38 AM on 06/10/2012

Instead of giving some teen a million dollars for doing a bad impersonation of Whitney Houston, why don't we support the kids that can make this kind of contribution?

[luv2livzen]

01:08 AM on 06/11/2012

F&F!

[eehd]

03:15 AM on 06/10/2012

Sounds interesting. I wish I didn't have to watch a video to learn more about the kid and his test.

[byoungusa]

01:12 AM on 06/10/2012

My god, this Kid is so wonderful! I hope that his paper tests turn out to be the way we can economically and accurately detect cancers and other diseases! What a kid, I think he has written his ticket to a great education! We need minds like his! This boy is a great reason to listen to the president and get more teachers back into the classrooms. Laying off teachers guarantees that kids like this will never have a chance to find the next big thing.

[cos919]

01:37 AM on 06/10/2012

I would be surprised if this kid learned anything from his freshman bio class. This sort of kid needs a lab, not a high school teacher.

[GirlOutWest]

03:26 PM on 06/10/2012

You're sure this kid never had a teacher that inspired him to achieve more? Teachers are very often the spark that lights the fire of genius.

[LuneKeltkar]

06:48 PM on 06/10/2012

cos919,

Your assertion is just silly. No one is born knowing biology. Clearly this kid learned pretty fast, but he still had to learn. That we should all be blessed as he is, but we *still* need teachers, even when our students run so far beyond any place that we might walk to. Quite clearly this kid learned quite a lot from his freshman bio class, much more than his teacher expected and certainly quite a lot more than your little mind can manage. I'm genuinely happy for him. I'm not often genuinely happy, not that it matters really, but in this case I'm genuinely happy. Sometimes people just go so far beyond anything that we have a right to expect of them. It's a good sweep for the species.

Lune

[doris french]

05:31 PM on 06/10/2012

Someone who actually wants to cure diseases and not just make money off treating them regularly you mean?

[Clayton139]

10:14 PM on 06/09/2012

This is the kind of Health technology that we need ! Nano Technology, Stem Cell research and more !
This kid hit the gold mine in order to save people andso has a BIG future !

[maruski]

08:46 PM on 06/09/2012

Wow, I had tears in my eyes--good for him!