As I write this, I am just getting back from a weekend trip to Philadelphia to see the progress on my son’s new home, which he is renovating. It was incredibly poignant for Harriet and I to be with our grown children and grandchild considering the unspeakable tragedy that occurred in Connecticut on Friday.
On a much lighter note, I am happy to report that my back is quite a bit better. The critical factors were time and naproxen (Aleve). I saw a physiatrist and physical therapist therapist too, and underwent something called dry needling. It is somewhat similar to acupuncture, and while I can’t be sure it was decisive, I certainly don’t think it was harmful. I look forward to resuming exercise in the next few weeks.
Last week was pretty eventful. On Monday, Lombardi hosted Saul Levin, the Acting Director of the DC Department of Health, to discuss the efforts of the Cancer Center and the wider GUMC community to address minorities and health disparities in the District. It was a fabulous meeting, and I look forward to future collaborations that may arise from the meeting.
On Wednesday, I spent the day at the NCI NExT Oversight Committee meeting, reviewing drug development proposals from academia and industry. As always, it was very interesting. Then, I drove back to campus for a late afternoon interview of a candidate for our breast cancer clinical slots, and then had a terrific dinner meeting with David Abrams, Ray Niaura and Nate Cobb from the Legacy Foundation to discuss ways we can better work together. And on Thursday the highlight, after a very busy clinic, was the annual Lombardi holiday party. Seeing Tod Greene strut his stuff on the dance floor was certainly inspiring! Then, on Friday, I was able to participate in a meeting of the Center of Cancer Systems Biology led by Bob Clarke. Our group had a chance to present some of our recent data, and we got some great feedback and direction for future experiments too.
The rest of the week and weekend have been consumed by CCSG activities. I have pretty much completed most of my sections and am now onto the program drafts. We have had so many people contribute to the review of the most recent drafts; as always I am particularly indebted to Carolyn Hurley, Mike Atkins, Ellen McLaughlin and Steve Byers. In this last set of reviews Anna Riegel and Jeanne Mandelblatt have made many substantial contributions. Thanks to everyone!
This is my last blog for 2012 — I’ll be taking a week off beginning next Friday afternoon.
On that note, I’d like to solicit your suggestions for topics you want to read about in this space in the coming year. Feel free to make comments in the space below, or send me an email (weinerl@georgetown.edu). I greatly enjoy writing this each week, and welcome your feedback.
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and productive 2013. If you have any children, remember to give them hugs!