Put yourself in
Judy Goldman's shoes. You are told you have two years to live, five
if you're lucky. What would you feel? What would you do?
Like any of us, at first Goldman felt afraid and sad. In the
summer of 1990 she was happily preparing for her youngest daughter's
wedding when she experienced vague symptoms and "sensed something
was wrong within my body." She quickly consulted a doctor. A series
of inconclusive tests followed. Just after the wedding, she was
diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood plasma cancer. It can
erode bones to the point that a sneeze results in broken ribs.
Myeloma also suppresses the patient's immune system. This is the
disease that recently took the life of columnist Eppie Lederer (Ann
Landers), and for which politician Geraldine Ferraro is currently in
treatment.
Given the prognosis of only a few more years of life, Goldman
lamented, "I would probably not be around to see my daughter's
children born." Her actions, though, revealed the spirit of an
aggressive, innovative activist. She went into attack mode.
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| The Goldmans,
foreground, with the foundation staff, from left: Liese
Cant, vice president; Dr. Bruce Bloom, president; and
Jerry Bowman, vice president. (Joel Lerner/Pioneer
Press) |
| |
Hand in hand with her husband and business partner, Lake Forest
entrepreneur George Goldman, she set out to learn as much as
possible about the disease threatening her. Multiple myeloma, they
learned, represents only one percent of all cancers, thus has been
treated as a medical "orphan" — under-funded as far as research goes
and not well understood by the general medical community.
Information was hard to find since the disease is rare, and in 1990
there was no Internet to speed the search.
The sparse information they found was bleak. Myeloma was taking
11,000 lives per year. The cause was, and is, unknown; treatments
are few.
Then serendipity stepped in. A doctor friend had heard about
Goldman's condition and called to say he had treated a multiple
myeloma patient who had survived more than 20 years.
The news spurred her to participate in a clinical trial conducted
by the Mayo Clinic, hoping "that I could not only survive my cancer,
put provide important research data. It might help someone down the
line."
With the help of her local oncologist, the program attacked the
disease with chemotherapy.
Goldman launched a complementary battle ground on the home front.
With a bit of reading and a deep belief that "we can help ourselves
heal," she became a vegetarian, began taking antioxidants and
started walking for exercise. Already familiar with meditation and
visualization, she concentrated on a mental image of Pac-Man going
through her veins "and gobbling up all the myeloma cells."
After two years of treatment, the Goldmans happily learned that
the disease was in remission. That was 10 very full and active years
ago.
Judy Goldman won the battle, but was not content to return
quietly to her life. She and George decided to dedicate their lives
to helping others with the disease, and to finding a cure. Together
they founded the Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships to fund
research, and Judy began reaching out to other patients through
extensive advocacy work.
She established the Midwest Action Committee as an arm of the
International Myeloma Foundation, serves on the National Cancer
Institute's Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities
program, started a monthly newsletter and leads support groups,
including one at the Cancer Wellness Center in Northbrook.
Michelle Bailey of Beach Park is a member of that support group.
Diagnosed with melanoma in 1994, and a survivor of remissions and
recurrences, chemotherapy and marrow transplants, she says, "Judy's
always upbeat and prepared and there for you with information and a
real sense of someone who celebrates life and really cares. I'm so
grateful for everything Judy and George have done. It's a tremendous
blessing."
Speaking from her experience, Judy encourages others to be
proactive and aggressive on behalf of their own health needs. Since
this cancer has few early symptoms, she says, "You must be
responsible for your own health. If your body is telling you
something isn't right, go to a doctor and talk until someone
listens."
For those with the disease, she urges: "Seek a myeloma
specialist, a doctor who has more awareness and knowledge of the
disease," who can offer the most up-to-date treatments.
Last month Goldman experienced a recurrence of myeloma, and is
now, herself, the beneficiary of the newer treatments. After 12 days
of radiation to dissolve a tumor and heal bone tissue, she is due
for a round of innovative treatment with Thalidomide.
Once again she must be channeling Pac-Man, because she radiates
confidence as she focuses on future projects. One goal dear to her
heart is to target childhood disease research, "For the children,
who haven't had a chance to live their lives yet."
It seems this energetic grandmother — yes, in the last 12 years
she has enjoyed the arrival of three new grandchildren, bringing the
brood's total to 11 — won't let anything stop her. Her courage
produces an infectiously positive point of view in those around her.
Support group member Michelle Bailey clearly reflects that
positive energy, saying: "Everyday is a profound gift. Sometimes it
takes a diagnosis to see that gift. It teaches you to take the
moments, hours, days, weeks and cherish them."
Cherishing every moment, Judy and George Goldman sow seeds of
courage and hope for many others.
The business of seeking a
cure
Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships is the logical, though
innovative, outgrowth of George and Judy Goldman's appreciation of
her long multiple myeloma remission. The Lake Forest residents have
a 40-year history as successful entrepreneurs. He is the founder,
chairman and CEO, and she the vice-president of Goldman & Co.,
an Illinois-based merchant banking firm, and Asset Partners, Inc.,
its associated real estate investment corporation.
During her illness, the couple, "learned first-hand, that there
are many researchers with creative ideas. But they get passed over
for grants because their work may seem too risky," said George
Goldman.
He knew from business that "high risk is the companion of high
reward," and decided to dedicate significant funds of their own to
establish a foundation which would seek out and fund pioneering
scientists and cutting-edge research.
The goal? Find breakthrough cures and treatment for catastrophic
diseases, including blood cancers and multiple myeloma.
Toward that goal, the foundation applies strategic business
principles to philanthropy. It actively seeks innovative projects in
need of funding, validates the research through independent medical
experts, then offers donors a unique opportunity to target their
funds to particular projects.
Donors meet the scientists involved and actively follow their
search for discoveries. A business model including goals, targets
and regular reporting, monitors each research project.
Current projects, called Inspired Ventures, based on limited
partnership or venture capital business models, include a partnering
with the International Myeloma Foundation for research on MM, and
with the Kidney Cancer Association for kidney cancer research.
Why fund research outside myeloma? "Because discoveries in one
area can apply to many others," says George Goldman. For example, in
April 2000, the Partnerships decided to fund the Mayo Clinic
research of Dr. Vincent Rajkumar in the area of anti-angiogenesis,
which seeks to develop techniques for cutting off the blood supply
to myeloma cells to stop their cancerous growth. Success of this
project could lead to cures for many cancers. Similarly, research on
applications of the once-dreaded drug Thalidomide have led to its
use in relieving MM.
With irons in a number of creative scientific fires, Goldman
Philanthropic Partnerships describes their efforts as "creating
philanthropic enterprises to support a portfolio of cutting edge
projects;" business-speak for creating miracles.
