hope for children with cancer

I encourage residents who know families who have children suffering from cancer to watch the Greenburgh Town Board meeting –Wednesday, September 25th. Our meeting is archived on the town website: www.greenburghny.com. (Town Board archives).

At the beginning of the Town Board meeting Dr. Richard Gorlick of Hastings spoke. Dr. Gorlick, a resident of Hastings, was only 13 when he was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare malignant tumor of soft tissues. He had surgeries, chemotherapy and had his left leg below the knee amputated.

His family supported him. His friends encouraged him. His teachers did not give up on him. Today, Dr. Gorlick –who is now 47 years old, is vice chairman of the pediatrics and division chief of pediatric hematologyoncology at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and an associate professor of pediatrics and molecular pharmacology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He resides in the village of Hastings and is considered one of the world’s leading researchers on osteosarcoma, a common bone cancer in children.

Dr. Gorlick indicated that the survival rate for cancer in children is very high –there are many advances. Treatments have improved. Now, many children preserve their limbs. Chemo too is more targeted and more focused than it was when Dr. Gorlick was 13 and received his diagnosis.

A powerful message from Dr. Gorlick:  If you have an illness be positive. Do what he did and don’t give up. Our community is fortunate to have Dr. Gorlick residing in our town.