The Father Who Fought for Lorenzo’s Oil
Augusto Odone surely was one of the best fathers of all time. Along with his wife, Michaela, Mr. Odone defied and then amazed the medical profession when he devised an apparent treatment for his son Lorenzo’s incurable neurological disease. The treatment was called “Lorenzo’s Oil.” Mr. Odone died last week, but he left an indelible […]
The First Female Celebrity to Embrace Parkinson’s
The 1950s was not a time for open discussion of serious diseases—whether by celebrities or ordinary citizens. Linda Ronstadt’s recent announcement that she has Parkinson’s disease and has retired from singing caught her fans by surprise. It was even more jarring over 40 years ago when another famous woman went public with similar news. In […]
What Can We Learn From Eleanor Roosevelt’s Death?
huffingtonpost.com October 23, 2012 Fifty years ago this November, when Eleanor Roosevelt’s doctor told her that her very debilitating disease was tuberculosis, and potentially curable, he expected her to be thrilled. But she instead uttered “I want to die” three times. As the Affordable Health Care Act goes into effect, much attention is being paid […]
Suzanne Somers, Cancer Expert
The New York Times (Well blog), February 25, 2011 This week, “Dateline” on NBC devoted an entire hour on Sunday evening to allow the actress Suzanne Somers to express her rather unconventional beliefs about cancer. It is not the first time a major media outlet has given air time to Ms. Somers, whose journey into the […]
Lessons From Elizabeth Edwards
The New York Times (Well blog), 7 December 2010 The news that Elizabeth Edwards died on Tuesday is extremely sad. Ms. Edwards, 61, a lawyer, mother and author of two autobiographical books and the estranged wife of former Senator John Edwards, had only recently announced that she had stopped treatment for advanced breast cancer. Ms. […]
Libby Zion: A Life-Changing Case for Doctors in Training
The New York Times, March 3, 2009 When Libby Zion died 25 years ago this week, no one would have guessed that her case would change history. But it did. The efforts of her bereaved and furious father, Sidney Zion, set into a motion a series of reforms to the system of medical education that […]
McQueen’s Legacy of Laetrile
The New York Times, 15 November 2005 Steve McQueen’s death 25 years ago this month ended a bizarre drama in which he surreptitiously traveled to Mexico for an unorthodox cancer treatment. The medical profession largely derided McQueen as a victim of fraud, but to some people with cancer, his pursuit of an alternative treatment seemed […]
Hope and Reality Lou Gehrig’s Way
The New York Times, 19 April 2005 When my patient Jackie, who had incurable lung cancer, came to my office, she would regale me with her latest physical accomplishments. “I’m doing great, doctor, right?” she would ask. As I answered this and other questions from her, I struggled to balance the reality of Jackie’s prognosis […]