Important Anniversary Wednesday

Ginger Empey was the first patient enrolled in the phase III clinical trials of Herceptin on August 31, 1995. She had been told to "put her affairs in order as she would probably be dead by Christmas". Ginger was a fighter and decided not to give in. Her entire saga is documented in Robert Bazel's book "HER2 - The Making of Herceptin" and numerous other articles:

Ginger Empey's Story

Well, after 2 grandchildren, the marriage of her daughter, a vacation in Hawaii and enjoying an exceptional quality of life, she is still alive and continues to be treated with Herceptin.

Ginger has provided inspiration to millions of women who overexpress the HER2/neu gene. "If she can do it, so can I" In addition Ginger continues to be a patient advocate and speaks before cancer groups on behalf of the Jonnson Cancer Center about the importance of participating in clinical trials. Ginger will also accompany us and help represent the HER2 Support Group at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December.

Christine and I feel that congratulations are in order. Please feel free to email your kudos to her personally to:

vempey@sbcglobal.net

She certainly deserves it !

Warmest Regards
Christine and Joe

[StephN]

I want you all to know that coming across Ginger's story was the first ray of hope I had that I may be able to survive my agressive liver mets.
My docs were not optimistic, but said that a complete response was not IMpossible, just not very probable. All the women I knew with bad mets had not survived for very long, or were so sick they were dying of something else before the cancer progressed. I did not know what to think, but did not want to give up!

My treatment was weekly Navelbine, Taxol and Herceptin. This was either until disease progressed too much, I could not stay on the treatment as too rough, OR complete response. Only ONE choice. Bang! Cancer cells, you're dead!

So went prowling around in a local book store and found "The Making of Herceptin," and a quick thumb-through showed me that this was the answer I was looking for. The Angels were leading me in the right direction.

Also found a book that talked about "the exceptional cancer patient." My attitude seemed in line with what was talked about there, and finding proof for myself that someone could survive and stay alive with the aid of Herceptin gave my morale a real boost.

This was in early January of 2002. I held up Ginger and the others who made it through the early Herceptin trials as examples to strive for. A tenuous thread between life and death. Once I had this fact that someone could survive fixed in my mind, there was no turning back.

THANK YOU, GINGER, from the bottom of my heart!

Hi all, I e-mailed Ginger and got a response back practically straight away, she was 2 1/4 years with liver mets and 7 3/4 years without change, stable, so all good.

Hugs Lyn