David Bianculli

She'd call researchers all over the world. She was, you know, bound and determined to find anything that would help her husband. And it was in the course of doing that that a researcher told her about the work of Judah Folkman in Boston. who had a theory that if you could block blood vessel growth, you could starve tumors of what they needed to grow. And his lab was studying thalidomide.

She'd call researchers all over the world. She was, you know, bound and determined to find anything that would help her husband. And it was in the course of doing that that a researcher told her about the work of Judah Folkman in Boston. who had a theory that if you could block blood vessel growth, you could starve tumors of what they needed to grow. And his lab was studying thalidomide.

One of his researchers was deep into studying this and actually published some work about it. So when Beth finally connected with him, he said, try thalidomide.

One of his researchers was deep into studying this and actually published some work about it. So when Beth finally connected with him, he said, try thalidomide.

One of his researchers was deep into studying this and actually published some work about it. So when Beth finally connected with him, he said, try thalidomide.

Yeah. I mean, you know, at the time, you know, nobody really thought that this would work. I mean, it was an idea that did not have a lot of people endorsing it. But, you know, Ira Wollmer was in a desperate strait. And, you know, Bart Bologi, you know, had a reputation for trying things.

Yeah. I mean, you know, at the time, you know, nobody really thought that this would work. I mean, it was an idea that did not have a lot of people endorsing it. But, you know, Ira Wollmer was in a desperate strait. And, you know, Bart Bologi, you know, had a reputation for trying things.

Yeah. I mean, you know, at the time, you know, nobody really thought that this would work. I mean, it was an idea that did not have a lot of people endorsing it. But, you know, Ira Wollmer was in a desperate strait. And, you know, Bart Bologi, you know, had a reputation for trying things.

So even though he might have been, you know, somewhat skeptical about it, he agreed to try it on both Ira Wollmer and two other patients. And unfortunately, it didn't work for Ira Ulmer. He didn't get better, and he died a few months later. But one of the patients, a guy named Jimmy, showed a miraculous recovery.

So even though he might have been, you know, somewhat skeptical about it, he agreed to try it on both Ira Wollmer and two other patients. And unfortunately, it didn't work for Ira Ulmer. He didn't get better, and he died a few months later. But one of the patients, a guy named Jimmy, showed a miraculous recovery.

So even though he might have been, you know, somewhat skeptical about it, he agreed to try it on both Ira Wollmer and two other patients. And unfortunately, it didn't work for Ira Ulmer. He didn't get better, and he died a few months later. But one of the patients, a guy named Jimmy, showed a miraculous recovery.

I mean, he was at death's door, and all of a sudden, the cancer markers in his blood started going down. And the folks in Arkansas realized that for the first time in really forever, they had a potential drug that would help multiple myeloma patients.

I mean, he was at death's door, and all of a sudden, the cancer markers in his blood started going down. And the folks in Arkansas realized that for the first time in really forever, they had a potential drug that would help multiple myeloma patients.

I mean, he was at death's door, and all of a sudden, the cancer markers in his blood started going down. And the folks in Arkansas realized that for the first time in really forever, they had a potential drug that would help multiple myeloma patients.

Well, so after the response that Jimmy experienced with the drug, they immediately launched a larger trial with these 80-something patients, as you mentioned. And you have to keep in mind that it had been 30 years since any kind of treatment for multiple myeloma had been approved.

Well, so after the response that Jimmy experienced with the drug, they immediately launched a larger trial with these 80-something patients, as you mentioned. And you have to keep in mind that it had been 30 years since any kind of treatment for multiple myeloma had been approved.

Well, so after the response that Jimmy experienced with the drug, they immediately launched a larger trial with these 80-something patients, as you mentioned. And you have to keep in mind that it had been 30 years since any kind of treatment for multiple myeloma had been approved.

And even that was a chemotherapy drug that was just sort of blunt force, you know, killed the good cells, the bad cells. It's a very hard drug to tolerate. And the success rate for that drug, which was followed by a stem cell transplant, you know, was a mixed bag.

And even that was a chemotherapy drug that was just sort of blunt force, you know, killed the good cells, the bad cells. It's a very hard drug to tolerate. And the success rate for that drug, which was followed by a stem cell transplant, you know, was a mixed bag.

And even that was a chemotherapy drug that was just sort of blunt force, you know, killed the good cells, the bad cells. It's a very hard drug to tolerate. And the success rate for that drug, which was followed by a stem cell transplant, you know, was a mixed bag.