(2/4) “When I first started working on DIPG in 1990, I...

(2/4) “When I first started working on DIPG in 1990, I thought: ‘I’ll figure it out in two years.’ That was before I had gray hair. I had no money. My office was the size of a closet and I was buying my own rats. But I was so optimistic. I had no idea what was facing me. There were so many hurdles I didn’t see. Everything was new. I never had any experts I could call or articles I could read. I had to figure everything out on my own. From a surgeon’s viewpoint, the tumor is unforgiving. It infiltrates the brain stem. Everything your body feels or experiences passes through that stem. You can’t violate it with a knife. It’s futile to even think about. So I had to figure out how to insert a catheter through the brain, and inject chemotherapy directly into the tumor. There is zero room for error. These chemicals must only touch the tumor. If you miss the target by a couple millimeters, it can be fatal. Brain surgeons aren’t artists. There isn’t much room to be creative. The innovator in neurosurgery is under a great deal of pressure. We must invent without being too imaginative. If we stray too far from our ancestors, it could lead to death.”

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We have two days left in our fundraiser to help fight pediatric cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Your donations will fund the science that saves the lives of children. This includes the research of Dr. Souwedaine, whose story is being told this evening. Nearly 50,000 people have donated and $1.8 million has been raised so far. It would be amazing if we could reach $2,000,000 by the end of the series. Even if it’s a small amount, please consider donating: http://bit.ly/1TpFcdy