Since David Emerson was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer seven years ago, he has fought the progression of his disease with an unusual degree of sophistication and willpower even among the large number of prostate cancer patients who have to try to do this.
It is with great regret, therefore that we refer readers to the latest post (just today) by his wife on his blog site ‘The Big “C”.’
David was often one of the first volunteers to participate in any clinical trials he found for which he met the eligibility criteria … regardless of how far or how often he had to travel. He has been a strong advocate for patients by talking at in-house pharmaceutical company and other meetings to explain just what it is really like to live with aggressive, progressive forms of prostate cancer. And in his spare time he has been an assertive and (politely) pushy fund-raiser for prostate cancer research through his own not-for-profit foundation.
We wish David and his family well during the next few days and maybe weeks. They all need to know that David’s efforts will never be forgotten.
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Search for new and
ongoing trials on the
CTAG PCa web site
The David Emerson award should be created for a patient who has the courage, awareness, and love that he showed.
So that’s a really good idea. What if Prostate Cancer International was willing to put up $1000.00 each year toward the costs for a patient like David to be able to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology?
I second this idea. I think a David Emerson Award should be one given to volunteers for online efforts in the way he has touched us all.
It is through his award winning blog that we became friends and it is through his golf tournaments, Frisbee tournaments, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker nights, and Athlete Combines that he has raised gobs of money for cancer research at http://www.flhw.org. David and I have shared journeys almost in sync as young guys with this disease though he has always had the tougher road. But his courage, inspiration, and love has always been abundant and a driving reason I stay involved in supporting others.
To create such an award in his honor will be viewed by myself as one of the great moves by PCaI and I would fully support that effort.
OK … but what’s an appropriate award?
Perhaps that is discussion that you need to make by committee. Such committee members should include his organization, family, and friends … I’ll proudly add my thoughts to it. Other comparable awards are the Harry Pinchot Award and the Ed Kaps award. Where this might fit in is where those awards have yet to reach out to. David’s work online has been a primary spot and I suggested that be a starting point. But he has done so much in so many ways, it would be tough to narrow it to a single effort.
Has David tried the Gerson therapy or macrobiotics? Please answer this post. I am heading down the same road as David and would like to know if he has tried these two remedies and experienced failure. If so, no need to waste my time on them.
FS
Dear Fred:
If you go to David’s blog (see link above), his entire therapeutic history is recorded there for the past 7 years. Use the search function for Gerson and/or macrobiotic. I am sure David has tried all sorts of dietary manipulations. They may have made him feel better for a while, but I don’t believe any of them significantly slowed the progression of his disease.
Whatever the award determined, the point, above all, is that he must be remembered. He makes me realize how small my contribution is and how I could and should tackle fear. He is my hero.
Unfortunately, we lost David today. May peace be with his family and huge circle of friends.