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Schussel Family Fund promotes T-cell lymphoma research
Source: Dana Farber Impact, Published: Spring 2017
Two years ago, when Sandi Schussel was diagnosed with a rare T-cell lymphoma, she was so ill she could do not much of anything, including skiing or hiking, two of her favorite outdoor activities. Today, after treatment at Dana-Farber, she is in complete remission and looks forward to getting back on the slopes and trails of New Hampshire. Grateful for the care she received, Sandi and her husband, George, have created the $100,000 Sandra and George Schussel Family Fund to support T-cell lymphoma research under the direction of her physician, Matthew Davids, MD, MMSc, and David Weinstock, MD. “This generous gift allows us to explore new therapeutic combinations in the laboratory using novel techniques developed here at Dana-Farber,” said Davids. “We hope this work will directly lead to new clinical trials for patients with T-cell lymphoma.” Specifically, Davids will employ a technique pioneered by Anthony Letai, MD, PhD, and colleagues at Dana-Farber called dynamic BH3 profiling to determine which drug combinations are most promising for killing T-cell lymphoma tumor cells. Weinstock will use new tools for studying T-cell lymphomas, known as a patient-derived xenograft, to predict human tumor responses to anticancer drugs. “We have gained so much from Dana-Farber’s research and medical treatment,” said George. “They have given us our lives back, so that we can start to hike again and take advantage of the wonderful New England countryside we live in.” ■
