Last week, the childhood cancer world lost one of its true pioneers. In the 1950s and ‘60s, combinations of chemotherapy drugs were first proven effective in curing cancer — specifically acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), one of the most common cancers in children.
The road to this groundbreaking discovery was long and often heartbreaking. Two of the leaders in this work were Dr. Emil Freirich and Dr. Emil Frei, III (February 21, 1924 – April 30, 2013). Due to the similarity in names, the latter became known as Tom.
Dr. Frei was known as an eternal optimist and was admired for challenging preconceptions. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation salutes his ability to think outside the box and to persist in the face of enormous odds, to find cures for kids with leukemia.
While Dr. Frei spent his research career at the National Cancer Institute, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, the impact of his work is felt today by not only children with cancer, but by cancer patients of all ages and around the world.
You can continue Dr. Frei’s dream to cure childhood cancer. Your donation made before June 30th funds childhood cancer research happening this year. Donate today.
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