I rarely make recommendations, preferring to provide information and let it go from there...but
Believe, you write well and from the heart
Although I have only heard Patricia Steeg speak at conferences and don't know the lady from atom, I think a well written email from you and or Mighty Oak
might get a humane response from her (otherwise ask your Onco Man or Gamma Man to write one directly to her)
She has gone out of her way at conferences to publicize brainmets.org website
and to acknowledge the human side of breast cancer brain mets.
And as a taxpayer, she is actually YOUR EMPLOYEE
From one of her papers I got:
Steeg PS,
Women's Cancers Section, Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, 37 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
steegp@mail.nih.gov
The worst that could happen is that she doesn't answer back, and if that is the case you will probably be too busy to notice!
All the best!
PS If you want to pass the proposed email by me first, just post it here onllne(as a new thread so I notice it) and the Lani EDITING SERVICE with be at your service.