Small world
One of Jim’s doctors at M.D. Anderson is Dr. Steven Curley. (He’s also the subject of one of Jim’s funnier poems.) Dr. Curley was working with a man named John Kanzius on a machine to fight cancer with radio waves. Kanzius, who died recently, was from Erie, PA, close to where I grew up.
Here’s a story from MSNBC about Kanzius’ death:
Kanzius remembered by friends, family
ERIE, PA: The man who gained world wide attention with his radio wave machine to fight cancer was remembered as a hero and man of vision. John Kanzius lived part time on Sanibel Island. But it was in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania that his friends and family said goodbye to him.
The crowded Pennsylvania church and emotional eulogy were proof that John Kanzius touched hundreds of people in his life.
“We will continue John’s work. His legacy will be intact. We will complete the work he has started and the vision that made this man so dear to all of us,” said friend and colleague Dr. Steven Curley.
But the man who was pioneering a possible cure for cancer could help millions more after his death.
“If a hero is measured by the number of lives touched, the number of people inspired, the number of people mentored and taught and who, because of him aspire to be better and do better, then John is a hero greater than any number of kings, presidents, warriors and professional athletes,” said son-in-law Todd Palmer.
Kanzius developed his radio-frequency technology in Southwest Florida and it’s described as one of the most significant breakthroughs in curing cancer – the very disease that claimed the doctor’s life.
“He never lost sight of the fact that it really was not about him, it was about the amount of human suffering in the world because of cancer,” said friend Sharon McDonald of the Regional Cancer Center.
McDonald says the humble doctor would be proud to see what his invention will lead to.
With human trials possible as early as this year, the Southwest Florida innovation could soon help patients worldwide.
“It will be known as the Kanzius Treatment and it will be known as the Kanzius Machine and like every other true inventor of our time, his legacy will live on for years to come,” said McDonald.
