Inspirational Stories

I was born in the inner city of Philadelphia, PA in 1951, I currently live near Dallas, Texas. My professional career in the Information Technology Industry lasted over 40 years prior to my retirement in January 2019. In 2002 I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and many aspects of my life changed forever. Since formal treatment started in 2006, my life includes numerous monthly visits to doctors, treatments, laboratory tests, drugs, and hospitalizations.

One of the biggest challenges I faced in managing my CLL over the last 20 years has been the high out-of-pocket cost for medical treatment and drugs. The drugs I take for my CLL work to delay the progression of the disease but over time fail and a new drug which is usually more expensive is needed. The Pan Foundation has been instrumental in providing me the financial support to help offset the out-of-pocket cost.

My days when not fighting my CLL are spent advocating for access to affordable drugs for all people suffering from any form of cancer. I have been to Capitol Hill and met with many of our country's legislators to solicit their support for critical bills that would benefit all people suffering from cancer. I have also shared my story in numerous videos and print designed to increase awareness of the challenges we face. I joined the PAN Patient and Family Advisory Council to continue my advocacy efforts.