change service requested summer 2004 · yet the absence of cbp appears to pro-mote lymphoma by...

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Public Information: 1-866-2STJUDE, ext. 3306 Donations: 1-800-822-6344Visit our Web site at www.stjude.org.

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Summer 2004

April Johnson

One Patient,Three Lives2

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was founded by the late

entertainer Danny Thomas. It opened February 4, 1962. The institution was created because

of a promise Danny made during the depression era to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint

of the hopeless.

“Show me my way in life,” Danny prayed. In return, Danny promised to build St. Jude

Thaddeus a shrine. That shrine became a world-class research institution that treats

children regardless of race, color, creed or their ability to pay. This remarkable event also

inspired the name of this magazine,

Promise.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee

Features4 Command Performance

The show must go on

7 Service over SelfA continuing commitment

8 Spa KidsMassage and humor

12 One Patient, Three LivesApril Johnson’s Faith and Miracle

16 A Peek Under the HoodScientists study molecular motors

18 On the Road to PeoriaRunning for a reason

21 Parkinson’s ProgressResearch for both kids and adults

Highlights2 Achievements and Events

Perspective24 Amber Valletta

A Call to Action

Promiseis a quarterly publication of theDepartment of Public RelationsSt. Jude Children’s Research Hospital332 N. Lauderdale St.Memphis, Tennessee 38105

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’smission is to find cures for children withcatastrophic diseases through researchand treatment.

Hospital DirectorArthur W. Nienhuis, MD

ALSAC National Executive DirectorRichard C. Shadyac

ALSAC/St. Jude Senior Vice President ofCommunications and Public RelationsJerry Chipman

Director of Public RelationsJudith W. Black

ALSAC Vice Presidentof CommunicationsGeorge Shadroui

Publications Manager and EditorElizabeth Jane Walker

Art DirectorJessica W. Anderson

Photo EditorJere Parobek

PhotographersSeth DixonKaren Pulfer FochtLaura HajarAnn-Margaret HedgesJohn Zacher

Contributing WritersTanuja ColettaJoe HannaLaura HajarAlicia H. MatthewsVictoria Tilney McDonoughCarrie L. Strehlau

Guest AuthorAmber Valletta

Editorial Advisory BoardLisa BakerBonnie Cameron Leslie Davidson Pat Flynn, MD Mark Hendricks Marc Kusinitz, PhDPhil McCarty Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, MDPenny TramontozziDavid Tucker Sally Wiard John Zacher

PromiseA publication of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Summer 2004

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is an equal-opportunity employer. For inquiries about storiesin this publication, call the Public Relations department at (901) 495-2125 or [email protected]. Visit our Web site at www.stjude.org. Articles and photos may bereprinted with permission. ©2004.

On the cover: April Johnson with daughters Faith (on left) and Miracle (see article, page 12). Photo by Laura Hajar.

Summer 2004 / Promise 3

A missing linkResearchers at St. Jude and Mayo

Clinic have discovered that inactivation ofthe CBP gene in certain immature whiteblood cells causes lymphoma in lab-oratory models. The cancer is accompa-nied by changes in the expression of spe-cific genes associated with developmentof the disease.

“One finding that was particularly sur-prising was the specific effect the loss ofCBP had,” said article co-author PaulBrindle, PhD, of St. Jude Biochemistry.“It is commonly believed that CBP isinvolved in the control of many genes.Yet the absence of CBP appears to pro-mote lymphoma by cooperating with anarrow set of dysregulated genes.”

Another unexpected finding was thelack of association between the loss ofCBP function and a gene called p53. CBPis known to help activate p53, but the lossof CBP in white blood cells triggered can-cer even though p53 activity appearednormal. The findings were published inCancer Cell, February 2004.

The wizardry of OzzResearch conducted by St. Jude scien-

tists may help uncover the genetic causeof certain muscle diseases that occur forunknown reasons in children.

A team led by Alessandra d’Azzo,PhD, of St. Jude Genetics and Tumor Cell Biology found that a novel protein,Ozz, directs the destruction of a structural protein in muscle that helpsorganize and stabilize muscle growth. The researchers also discovered the Ozz gene overlaps another gene, whichcodes for an enzyme called protectiveprotein/cathepsin A or PPCA. Thisenzyme is deficient in the metabolic disease galactosialidosis.

The Ozz and PPCA genes share agenetic “on-switch” that controls theirexpression; thus mutations in PPCA

could alter the normal expression of Ozzand could cause the muscle problems ofchildren with galactosialidosis.

d’Azzo, who holds the JewelersCharity Fund Endowed Chair in Geneticsand Gene Therapy, was senior author of areport on the findings, which appeared inthe February 2004 Developmental Cell.

Brain cancer progressCompletion of a pilot study brings

researchers closer to an international clini-cal trial aimed at improving guidelines fortreatment of medulloblastoma, a commontype of childhood brain cancer.

The study is the first to demonstratethat medulloblastoma samples can be rap-idly delivered to a central research institu-

tion and analyzed. The findings con-firmed that samples shipped from institutions in the United States andAustralia can be analyzed at St. Jude forgenetic abnormalities rapidly enough toprovide physicians with information to guide their treatment decisions.

The study also demonstrated that bydetecting the presence of a protein called ERBB2 in tumor samples, doctors might be able to predict whichchildren with medulloblastoma willrequire more intensive treatment.

A report on this study, led by Richard Gilbertson, MD, PhD, ofDevelopmental Neurobiology and Amar Gajjar, MD, of Hematology-Oncology, appeared in the March 2004Journal of Clinical Oncology.

H i g h l i g h t s

2 Promise / Summer 2004

St. Jude patient David Moore and Debbie Crom, RN, PhD, of the After Completion of Therapy(ACT) Clinic, discuss the importance of promoting strong bones after cancer therapy. Their dis-cussion occurred at the Eighth Annual St. Jude Cancer Survivor’s Day conference, which alsomarked the 20th anniversary of the ACT Clinic. Although Crom dressed as a skeleton to makelearning about bones fun, she experienced many poignant moments during the conference. “Itis very moving to have survivors say, ‘Do you remember me?’ and to be able to respond, ‘We notonly remember you; we hold you in our hearts and we are dedicated to you having as healthy afuture as possible,” Crom says.

Order from disorderSt. Jude investigators have demon-

strated for the first time that—contrary to the assumption that proteins mustmaintain a rigid structure in order to perform an assigned task—many proteins exploit disorderliness in theirstructure to perform various jobs. Theresearch findings appeared in the April 2004 Nature Structural andMolecular Biology.

The St. Jude finding explains howmany proteins can adapt their structuresto the needs of the moment, binding todifferent molecules depending on the jobat hand.

“The potential importance of disorderin the function of some proteins has beendiscussed by researchers for severalyears,” said Richard Kriwacki, PhD, ofSt. Jude Structural Biology, the report’ssenior author. “But until now no one had actually demonstrated how such flexibility allows a protein to interact with different molecules. We’ve taken abig step in understanding the subtledetails of a critical biochemical process in the life of the cell.”

To view an online movie illustrating the movement of a protein, visit www.stjuderesearch.org/data/kriwackilab/p27.html.

A fresh lookSt. Jude scientists have discovered that

a tumor-suppressor protein called Rb isrequired for proper retinal development inlaboratory models. This is a major steptoward understanding why some childrendevelop the devastating eye cancer calledretinoblastoma. The discovery shouldeventually help scientists design a bettertreatment for this disease.

The St. Jude team showed that Rblimits growth of immature retinal cells so the retina develops to a normal size.The Rb protein also prompts specific cells to develop into light-sensitive cellscalled rods.

“What we’re learning could eventuallyhelp us to block the molecular signalsthat trigger retinoblastoma in children,”said Michael Dyer, PhD, of St. JudeNeurobiology, senior author of a February 2004 Nature Genetics articleabout this research.

Tricks of the tradeA genetic trick that viruses use to

replicate themselves has been adapted forthe laboratory to build complex proteinstructures required by immune systemcells, according to St. Jude investigators.

The approach could also be used todevelop new genetherapy vectors incases when cellsmust be modified tomake high levels ofdifferent proteins. Avector is a DNAmolecule used toferry specific genesinto cells in order togive those cells theability to make par-ticular proteins.

The achievementgives researchers away to study theroles of complexproteins in livingcells and to producetherapeutically use-ful amounts of multi-ple proteins. Thenew technique would

permit scientists either to restore complexprotein structures that are missing in cer-tain cells or make multiple proteins thatact together as potent drugs against can-cer and other diseases.

Dario Vignali, PhD, of St. JudeImmunology is senior author of a reporton this work, which appears in the May2004 issue of Nature Biotechnology.

Rising ratesThe cure rate for pediatric acute

lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) mightcontinue to rise with improved use ofconventional therapies. But even moreeffective and less toxic therapies based on genetic and pharmacogenetic studiesmay one day push the success rate closeto 100 percent, according to an articlepublished by Ching-Hon Pui, MD,Leukemia/ Lymphoma division director; Mary Relling, PharmD,Pharmaceutical Sciences chair; andJames Downing, MD, Pathology chair.

The article appeared in the April 2004 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The researchers based their pre-diction on a review of leukemic cellgenetic abnormalities and host normalcell genetic characteristics. The geneticapproach to ALL treatment increasesphysicians’ ability to identify which gene mutations are linked to responsive-ness to anti-leukemic drugs. Clinical trials are underway to test the safety andefficacy of drugs targeting a variety ofgene mutations.

St. Jude researchers are also conduct-ing Phase I clinical trials with investiga-tional drugs to treat cases of ALL thathave resisted previous therapies.

Marlo Thomas, St. Jude National Outreach director, and Joe MirroJr., MD, the hospital’s chief medical officer, appeared before Congressin April to discuss the need for more funding for pediatric brain tumorresearch and treatment. Mirro also talked about the hospital’s effortstoward individualized treatment. Thomas and Mirro were joined byThomas’ husband, Phil Donahue (pictured in background), ALSACNational Executive Director Richard Shadyac and two St. Jude braintumor patients and their families.

These news items reflect only ahandful of the lifesaving projectsoccurring at St. Jude Children’sResearch Hospital. For informa-tion about other recent discover-ies, visit our Web site atwww.stjude.org/media.


The night they found out, Lindsay wanted to sleep in hermother’s bed.

“In the dark, she said, ‘Mama, can I talk to you?’ She saidshe was worried that she wouldn’t be able to swim or waterski or be her normal self with the Hickman line,” says Carla.A Hickman line is a tube that is inserted into a major bloodvessel through the chest. St. Jude patients receive chemothera-py and other drugs through this line, which eliminates theneed for repeated needle sticks.

“With no hair,” Lindsay whispered to her mother, “I’mworried boys won’t like me.” Carla told Lindsay that she wasbeautiful—inside and out.

“That night was the only time I’ve seen her cry since wefound out,” Carla says.

Keep movingLindsay started 48 weeks of chemotherapy in January. She

has felt tired but hasn’t been sick from the drugs. But evensickness wouldn’t have stopped the determined sophomorefrom competing in the Universal Dance Association NationalChampionships. “We were practicing hard after the holidays inpreparation for Nationals at the end of January,” says RobinCrane, dance sponsor for Lindsay’s high school team. “Thesekids have known each other for several years and are veryclose. They’ve been supportive of Lindsay. She’s been teach-ing them a life lesson. Even when she’s tired or feels faint, she

takes a minute then keeps going. She doesn’t let anything gether down.”

The team traveled to Orlando, Florida, and won fourthplace in the competition.

While on that trip, both Lindsay and her friends realizedthat a cancer diagnosis shouldn’t set her apart. “I thinkLindsay really accepted her cancer and everything that comeswith it that first night in Orlando,” says her mother. “Herfriends saw her Hickman line, saw me flushing it, and thatwas that. It was no big deal. Lindsay’s teammates—andLindsay, herself—realized that even with the line, even with-out her own hair, she is still Lindsay.”

One step at a timeFor some patients and families at St. Jude, traversing

between two worlds—their “old” world and that of St. Jude—can feel a bit like stepping back and forth through Alice’slooking glass. But for Lindsay, life still has a keen sense ofnormalcy. She’s been lucky, she admits, that she’s been able tocontinue with most of her activities and that St. Jude hasaccommodated her schedule. As she told a television reporter,“Everything happens for a reason. You can’t change the past;you can only make the future better. I’m just taking one day ata time.”

Lindsay’s friends, family and community have helped hermaintain as normal a life as possible. They have also made her

CommandPerformance

For Lindsay Harwell, the show must go on. Dance and theateractivities help her concentrate on a life beyond cancer.

When Lindsay Harwell steps on a stage to perform,she loses herself—in the dance, the song, thewords. Although she is a private person, somethingabout performing sets her free. Having starteddance at age 2, Lindsay loves to move her limbs to

music and to the sound of her own spirit. “I like to get up and showeveryone what I can do, to do my best,” the 16-year-old says. “I like hip-hop the most. It’s flowy; you just have to go with it.”

These days, Lindsay’s biggest challenges are no longer strained muscles or tough dance routines. These days, Lindsay knows how luckyshe is to dance, to have friends and to have her family close. InDecember 2003, she found that her sore leg was not the result of a pulledligament but of a tumor the size of a grapefruit lodged near her right hip. She had osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer in

children and adolescents.“Lindsay has always had a high tolerance for pain,”

explains her mother, Carla. “So when she continued to com-plain about her leg and then could barely walk at all, I knewit was serious. A mother just knows these things.”

Because the pain in her leg intensified around Christmas2003, it took several weeks to get answers. “We had bone scans

and consultations, but we never heard back for sure. It was probably aninfection, the doctors told us,” says Carla. “Everyone was out for the hol-idays. The waiting, for us, was excruciating. When we finally got a call,they told me to come with Lindsay and Tony, my husband. That’s when Iknew. Why else would they have insisted that Tony come, too? I froze. Itall felt like a dream.”

B y V i c t o r i a T i l n e y M c D o n o u g h

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Whether she’s waving pom pons or playing a nun in The Sound of Music,Lindsay Harwell (far right) is determined to continue doing the things sheloves while undergoing treatment for osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.“Everything happens for a reason,” she says. “You can’t change the past;you can only make the future better. I’m just taking one day at a time.”

ASummer 2004 / Promise 76 Promise / Summer 2004

realize how loved and supported she is. Her dance squadraised $1,600 for a wig to match her cornsilk-blond hair. Thefootball team presented her with a huge card and a big stuffedJaguar, their mascot. “Who would’ve thought those muscleboys could be so sensitive?” Carla laughs.

Students and faculty at the school where Lindsay’s grand-mother teaches donated money from their annual fund-raiserto Lindsay. “They gave us part of the hope chain created fromthe fund-raiser,” Carla says. Each paper link in the chain costfive cents. The more paper links, the more money raised. Thisyear’s chain snaked from classroom to classroom, down corri-dors, into the lunchroom and down stairwells.

“The section they gave Lindsay was so long we had tohang it in the garage!”

Stepping in characterLast summer, before Lindsay knew her life would change,

she auditioned at her town’s local community theater for TheSound of Music. In early April, she donned a habit andstepped on stage for several weeks to play one of the nuns.Like dance, singing and acting is a release for her.

“I started taking voice lessons a few years ago and reallylove it. My older sister took them first; I always want todo what she does,” she says. “My sister has more of anopera voice. I have more of a country singer voice.”Lindsay met several country stars during Country Caresfor St. Jude Kids®, which inspired her to practice moreseriously.

Keeping busy, especially in group activities, seems tohelp her stay strong. “Lindsay looks out for everyone;that’s just her nature,” says her mother. “The first night ofchemo, when Lindsay was an inpatient, I was so tired, Ipassed out on the couch in her room. When the nursescame in, Lindsay said, ‘Shhh, my mama’s asleep. She’svery tired.’”

Carla thinks Lindsay is a great deal like her own mother.“My mother has always been my rock,” she says. “I can crywith her. She helps me see more clearly when I need to.Lindsay is a lot like her. They’re always looking out for oth-ers. They’re as close to angels as can be. I have been soimpressed with how strong Lindsay’s been through all of this.She holds me up sometimes, saying, ‘Mama, don’t worry. Youworry too much. It’s going to be okay.’”

Looking forwardToday is the day after Lindsay’s sweet sixteenth birthday

party. She is starting 31 days of radiation on top of what’sremaining of her chemotherapy regimen. The tumor hasshrunk to less than half its original size, and the Harwellshope that these treatments will do it—that surgery won’t benecessary since the tumor is so close to her hip bones andovaries. Waiting for their appointment, mother and daughterfeel tired from last night’s festivities.

“We were still up celebrating at 3 a.m.,” says Lindsay, whoshows a picture of a three-layer cake that a family friend madefor the occasion. When asked if she has a birthday wish, sheanswers quietly, “I wish I could be cured.”�

Top: Lindsay may spend her days at St. Jude Children’sResearch Hospital, but evenings are a different matter alto-gether. That’s when she participates in theater and dance—concentrating on greasepaint and costume changes instead ofchemotherapy and cancer therapy.

Bottom: Mother and daughter have gained strength from eachother during the rigors of cancer treatment. “I have been soimpressed with how strong Lindsay’s been through all of this,”Carla says. “She holds me up sometimes, saying, ‘Mama,don’t worry. You worry too much. It’s going to be okay.’”

SERVICEMom continues herdaughter’s battleagainst cancer byraising funds for St. Jude.

All Shirley Castell has to do is think of her daughter, and she is reminded of why she made the commitment to help the children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In December 1969, Shirleyfound out that her 16-year-old daughter, Janet Castell, had leukemia. Not long after receiving this life-changing news, Shirley learned about St. Jude, and thus began her mission to support the hospital.

Janet’s particular form of leukemia was not being treated at St. Jude, so she was unable to go toMemphis for treatment. Nevertheless, Shirley decided to help other children at the hospital who weresuffering from cancer. In 1970, she and her daughter held a fund-raiser for St. Jude that raised $1,500.Janet didn’t survive her fight with cancer, but Shirley dedicated her life to helping other children wintheir battles with the disease.

Through the years, Shirley has held many other events to benefit St. Jude, including grocery rafflesand bingo games, which she coordinated weekly through the local Jaycees—a national organizationestablished to provide opportunities for young adults to develop personal and leadership skills throughservice to others. She fondly remembers a special donation she presented to St. Jude.

“I remember one particular time when Danny Thomas came to California to accept a check for$30,000 raised through bingo games,” says Shirley. “I wish everyone had had a chance to meet Danny.He was so dedicated and really cared about the kids at the hospital.”

Dedicated is also a word that could be used to describe Shirley, who has spent the past 34 years rais-ing money to support St. Jude. To honor her commitment to the institution, the Jaycees made a donationto the hospital in memory of Janet.

“That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me,” says Shirley. “Some people ask whyI support St. Jude way back in Memphis, but it’s more than that. The protocols and research at St. Judeare shared everywhere.”

As a testament to her dedication, Shirley spent many years volunteering for the hospital’s radiothonsand golf tournaments in addition to the events she organized herself. She has cut back on the amount oftime spent working bingo games, but the organization donates annually in her honor to thank her for hermonthly participation in bingo.

“Sometimes I get tired and think I’ve volunteered long enough, but then I think about the kids at St. Jude, and I know I have to go on,” says Shirley. “I just want every child to have a childhood.Children should be healthy and happy; they shouldn’t be sick. St. Jude gives children a chance to live.”

To learn more about ways to give, call ALSAC Gift Planning at (901) 578-2081 or toll free at (800) 830-8119 ext. 2081. �B

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Laughter may be thebest medicine, buta good massage is aclose second.Markie Lambert—a12-year-old patient

at St. Jude Children’s ResearchHospital—got the best of both worlds.

Markie and his mother, Margaret,volunteered to be part of an ongoingstudy using humor and massage con-ducted by staff in the hospital’sBehavioral Medicine division.

Researchers created the study toexplore whether massage and humortherapy can reduce the distress experi-enced by patients undergoing stem cell transplants.

“We’re asking the question aboutwhether brief, positive experiencesmight serve as a sort of medicine,” saysSean Phipps, PhD, clinical psychologistand lead researcher for the study.“There is some evidence to suggest thata brief, positive experience impactsyour ability to tolerate negative experi-ences. And it may serve as a stressbuffer, as well as an antidote against thephysical effects of stress.”

Relaxation stationFunded by a National Cancer

Institute grant, the project is the result of two earlier pilot studies. “Welooked at techniques that kids could use during the day and that were transportable to their hospital rooms,”Phipps says. “Of the techniques wetried, the most well-liked and widely used were massage and humor therapy.”

Margaret can understand why. “I’d be sitting up all day and nightpraying for Markie,” she recalls. “Iwould go into the relaxation room, puton my headphones and listen to my CD. I was feeling so tense, and as soon as I would start to relax, I wouldfeel more comfortable. The massage

therapist had to wake me up oncebecause I’d truly been asleep.”

Margaret and her son participated in one part of the three-tiered study. Inthe first group, children receive a mas-sage three times a week along withhumor therapy intervention. The second group receives the same inter-ventions, along with massage and relaxation therapy sessions for a participating parent.

“We bring the parents to a roomwith a big, soft, comfy recliner withdim lighting,” says Beth Gray, a leadclinical research associate who alsoserves as the study’s main massagetherapist. “We encourage the parents tofocus on their breathing and help themto relax each muscle group. Then we

Summer 2004 / Promise 98 Promise / Summer 2004

A new study brings massage into thepatient’s room. But this treatment involvesmore than just back rubs. Thinkwhoopee cushions. Think Three Stooges.Think relief from pain and anxiety.

B Y C A R R I E L . S T R E H L A USpa KidsTwelve-year-old MarkieLambert tries out a wackytoy from the Comedy Cart.Desirée Louwerse ofBehavioral Medicine bringslaughter and fun topatients’ rooms as part of aproject evaluating the effectof massage and humortherapy. The study is fund-ed by a grant from theNational Cancer Institute.

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usually have my CD player with relaxingmusic. I always ask the patient if it’s okay to have a massage that day. If theysay yes, I start with their hands, thenarms, legs and feet, shoulder, neck, scalpand back. But it is all based on what thechild allows.”

According to Gray, some children fallasleep and some want to keep an eye oneverything. “Sometimes the child mayfeel nauseated, be in pain or not be in themood to have a massage,” she says. “Weare flexible. We let the children know thatthey are in charge.”

For the parents, Beth brings a specialtable into another room and performs afull-body massage for about 30 minutes.“I take the portable massage table withfresh linens into the parent room, and Ialso have my CD player with relaxingmusic and some very light lotion,” Gray says.

“Parents seem to be so appreciative ofthe chance to relax because of whatthey’re going through,” Gray continues.“Parents carry so much stress to stay ontop of what they are required to do. Thisoffers them a time to take care of them-selves, which is a new concept for manyof the parents.”

Humor me

S tudy participants complete formsto determine how they feel beforeand after the humor and massage

intervention, as well as to track theirmood, physical well-being and activitylevels across the acute phase of trans-plant.

“It seemed like Markie rested betterand didn’t complain about aches asmuch after he had a massage,” Margaretrecalls. Other study outcomes includemonitoring the use of medications forpain and nausea and the number of daysspent in the hospital.

“If some patients require fewer painmedications or get out of the hospital aday sooner, that would more than cover the cost of the interventions,”Phipps says.

Markie says he really enjoyed havinghis hands massaged. But his absolutefavorite part of the study? The whoopeecushion. “I want to buy one of my own,”he says.

The whoopee cushion is part of theComedy Cart—a large, brightly paintedbox on wheels that travels to eachpatient’s room. Coordinated by DesiréeLouwerse in Behavioral Medicine, theComedy Cart includes funny glasses,sports bloopers and classic movies likeThe Three Stooges. A patient can choosean item from the cart or Louwerse willorder an item that a patient may think is humorous but is not alreadyincluded in the cart.

“We encourage the kids to take alaugh break every day,” Phipps says.

“In fact, we recognize that there may besome days when they don’t feel like it,and we stress that those are the daysthat are best for them to do it. Ourresearch assistants encourage the kids totake items off the cart. Along with this,we try to plant the seed that there areaspects of their own environment thatthey may find humorous.”

That may be a funny voice a nursemakes or a humorous mannerism of adoctor. “The goal is to educate thepatients and parents about adding laughterto each day,” he adds.

For Markie, it’s his younger cousin.“She always makes me laugh just by thethings she does and the way she dances,”he says.

“Markie is the one who makes melaugh,” adds his mother.

From the results of this study,researchers will later be able to study the physiological effects of humor andmassage on patients and examine themechanisms by which these interventionsproduce positive outcomes.

“This is really still a preliminary studyjust to see if it works,” Phipps says.“We’re in the very early stages, but anec-dotally, it is being well received.”

M arkie and Margaret wereglad to be part of the study,and Gray could see the

results. “When they laugh, you know theyfeel better,” she says. �


encourage them to imagine a safeand peaceful place before begin-ning the relaxation imagery.” “The relaxation imagery isrelated to competence in parent-ing so they can feel more confident in parenting an illchild,” Phipps adds.

T he third group receivesstandard care. To partic-ipate in the study, a

patient must be 6 to 18 years ofage and undergoing a stem celltransplant from a matched sib-ling, mismatched family memberor an unrelated donor.

“What we’re doing here iscomplementary in nature,” Graysays. “It is not meant to replaceany of the medical treatments.We want to show some thingsthat could help improve a patientand parent’s quality of life.”

Ahh, there’s the rub

G ray is also responsiblefor coordinating studyresults from the other

participating institutions inToronto, Canada; Columbus,Ohio; and Philadelphia,Pennsylvania.

“When I go in the child’s hospital room, I let them knowit’s massage time,” she says. “I


Beth Gray, the study’s main mas-sage therapist, works her magicon Markie Lambert. “What we’redoing here is complementary innature,” Gray says. “It is notmeant to replace any of the med-ical treatments. We want to showsome things that could helpimprove a patient and parent’squality of life.” Gray also coordi-nates study results from partici-pating institutions in Toronto,Canada; Columbus, Ohio; andPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania.

In addition to receiving mas-sages, parents participating inthe study learn to use relaxationtechniques while lounging incomfy recliners. “There is someevidence to suggest that a brief,positive experience impacts yourability to tolerate negative expe-riences, says Sean Phipps, PhD,clinical psychologist and leadresearcher for the study. “And itmay serve as a stress buffer aswell as an antidote against thephysical effects of stress.”


DDeloris Johnson awoke with a gasp.Bolting out of bed, she peered into the darkness, heart pounding, body

trembling. This was the third time that her deceased mother had appeared toher in a dream. The first time, the message had been cryptic: “You need tocheck on somebody,” Deloris’ mother admonished. But this time the messagewas frantic. “You’re gonna wait too late! You’re gonna wait too late!” warnedthe apparition.

“I jumped up, and when I blinked she was gone,” recalls Deloris. “That’show I found out April was sick.”

In January of 1996, Deloris’ niece, April Johnson, complained of swollenlymph nodes. Sure enough, when Deloris took the 14-year-old to the doctor,she learned that April had cancer. “Take her to St. Jude,” advised Deloris’boss. “That’s the best place to go.”

The next day, April traveled to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital onthe first leg of a journey that would demand courage and determination, faithand more than one miracle.

One

PatientThree

LivesBY ELIZABETH JANE WALKER

When this

St. Jude patient

experienced a

relapse of her

cancer, three lives

were at stake.

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LAURA HAJAR

At left: April and Efrem have hearts full of gratitude and hands full of babies,aptly named Miracle and Faith.

Below: Son Marlon visits April just after her stem cell transplant.


Family mattersApril and Deloris were nervous about

leaving their home. For more than adecade, April and her two sisters hadlived with Deloris and her two daughtersin a small apartment. Now the familywould be separated for months.

“That was my first time being awayfrom home and my other children,”Deloris says. “But when we went to St. Jude, it was like they rolled out the redcarpet. They treated us like we were thequeen of England. It was like I was thePresident’s wife or something! I neverdreamed it would be like that.”

At St. Jude, April discovered that shehad acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The disease was in completeremission after 120 weeks of treatment.For the next few years, April regularlyreturned to Memphis for checkups. In the meantime, she had a son, whom shenamed Marlon.

April found out she was pregnantagain in 2001. But an early sonogramindicated that her pregnancy was anythingbut routine.

“The doctor started dancing around theroom and singing a song,” April recalls. “Isaid, ‘What are you singing for?’ He said,‘Because I see two babies!’” April and herfiancé, Efrem Coleman, were elated.“He’d been telling me I was going to havetwins because he had them in his family,”April says.

But the couple’s joy soon turned toconcern, as April began suffering fromunexplained gastric problems, chest pains and dehydration. After many trips to the local doctor, they learned the cause: April’s leukemia had returned with a vengeance.

Miracle and FaithLocal medical professionals advised

April to abort the babies so that she couldobtain appropriate treatment. But Efremand April would not consider that option.‘I told the doctor, ‘If God blessed me withthese twins, he must want me to havethem,’ April says. Again the family turnedto St. Jude for help.

April’s case posed a challenge to herlongtime St. Jude physician, Ching-HonPui, MD. Not only was April pregnant,but she had T-cell ALL, a type ofleukemia with a dismal prognosis.

“In general, patients with relapsed

T-cell leukemia only have a 10 percentcure rate,” Pui observes. “The goal, obviously, was to save the twins and the mother.”

In order to survive relapsed T-cellleukemia, April would need to undergo


aggressive chemotherapy so that shecould obtain a second remission followedby a stem cell transplant. Pui knew thatthe situation was precarious. “I could notgive her the routine induction therapy forrelapse of leukemia, because it wouldcarry a high risk of losing the twins,” Puisays, “and I had to use drugs that wouldnot affect fetal development.”

As the babies grew within her, Aprilcould not help but worry. Would her twinssurvive? If she waited to begin aggressivetreatment, would she be able to defeat thedisease? Every day that she waited, theleukemic cells were multiplying—reduc-ing her survival odds even further.

Wren Kennedy, MSN, a pediatricnurse practitioner in St. Jude Hematology-Oncology, says April’s priority was clear.“She never lost sight of the fact that shewanted to try to give those babies lifeeven at the expense of her own,” Kennedysays. “Even though we were staying awayfrom all the drugs that are known to causebirth defects, the treatment was makingher fairly ill. She was having low whiteblood counts and getting infections andending up in the hospital on broad-spec-trum antibiotics.”

In her 29th week of pregnancy, Aprilreturned home so that her obstetriciancould deliver the twins. Although theyweighed just a little more than 2 poundseach, the babies were healthy and beauti-ful. April and Efrem named their tinydaughters Miracle and Faith.

Overcoming challengesAfter the babies’ birth, April returned

to St. Jude, where she underwent anintensive chemotherapy regimen thatfinally induced a solid remission. Thenshe needed a stem cell transplant.

St. Jude doctors found that April’solder sister, Myesha, was a perfect match.The transplant occurred in September of2002. “I’m not used to needles, and it wasreally an experience to go through,”admits Myesha, “but I was glad to do itbecause that was my baby sister.”

About a month afterward, April’s condition started to deteriorate. Alreadydamaged from the chemotherapy, her

lungs quit functioning properly. Sheended up in the Intensive Care Unit on aventilator. “They thought I was going todie,” says April.

“All of us made a trip to St. Judebecause they told us that she could go at any time,” Deloris remembers. “But God told me, ‘Not yet.’ The next day she got better, and they took her off the respirator.”

Then April developed graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This potentiallyfatal complication of stem cell transplan-tation occurred when the new immunesystem (Myesha’s cells) recognizedApril’s cells as foreign and began destroy-ing them. As her body attacked itself,April experienced excruciating pain, diar-rhea and weight loss, which necessitated afeeding tube. She also underwent opera-tions for related complications.

To control the disease, April received anew treatment that shows promise forpatients with chronic GVHD. Extracor-poreal photopheresis is much like a bloodtransfusion. A machine removes bloodfrom the patient’s body. T-cells from theblood are combined with a drug, and themixture is exposed to ultraviolet light,which activates the drug. The treatedblood is then reinfused into the patient.

“Photopheresis worked well for April,and it allowed us to reduce other drugs,like steroids, which cause a lot of sideeffects,” says Rupert Handgretinger, MD, PhD, director of Stem CellTransplantation at St. Jude.

Handgretinger says that April is slowlyrecovering from GVHD, and he antici-

pates a bright future for April and herfamily. Her leukemia is in remission, andHandgretinger says a relapse is unlikely.“Normally, these leukemias relapse early if they’re going to do so,” he says.“So her chance to be cured now isextremely high.”

Doubly blessedLooking back on her ordeal, April

credits Efrem with helping her survive thestresses of relapse, transplant and treat-ment-induced separations from her chil-dren. Efrem quit his job so that he couldbe in Memphis during the transplant andits aftermath.

“He won’t let me do laundry orsweeping or mopping or washing dishes,”said April, during their yearlong stint atTarget House. Other family memberspulled together at home, taking care ofMarlon, Miracle and Faith when the chil-dren could not be with their parents.

Today, April and Efrem have returnedto their hometown, where Efrem has beenrehired by his former employer. As April’shealth slowly improves, Efrem continuesto demonstrate his expertise at changingdiapers and chasing children.

“He’s a very good dad,” observesDeloris, who says that God has helped the family endure their trials. “You justcan’t give up,” she says. “You don’t give up. You just keep going. And youkeep praying.”

“I’ve been through a whole lot,” saysApril, quietly. “And I thank God everynight for being here and for letting mehave my three kids.”�

This hasn’t been an easy time for me,And as one who cares about me,There have been so many moments when I’ve wished

I could have somehow been spared some of the pain or at least

cushioned the blows.

But it seems that I have my own roads to travel in life.For a while I’m on a smooth, well-worn path,Then suddenly the road swarms.

But you know what?I’ve watched myself with admirationAs I’ve faced difficulty with strength and courage.

And even in those times when I wanted to give up,Somehow I found it in myself to carry on,And I just know I’ll continue to do so.

I’m a remarkable person,And even though this is a road to travel,I’ll be sure to look along the side from time to time.The person I see there will be cheering me on.

—Poem by April Johnson

As the babies grew within her, April could not help

but worry. Would her twins survive? If she waited

to begin aggressive treatment, would she be able

to defeat the disease? Every day that she waited,

the leukemic cells were multiplying—reducing her

survival odds even further.

To survive relapsed T-cell leukemia, April endured aggressive chemotherapy followed by a stemcell transplant. Afterward, she suffered a range of potentially deadly side effects. Today, April isrebuilding her life with the help of Efram and the inspiration of her children.

LAURA HAJAR

Spring 2004 / Promise 1716 Promise / Summer 2004

Using the fruit fly model, Park devel-oped a working theory of how this pro-tein “walks” along the microtubule, car-rying the chromosome with it. One endof each microtubule strand is called thepositive or “plus” end to distinguish itfrom the other, negative or “minus” end.Scientists have long assumed thatkinesin proteins travel toward the “plus”end of a microtubule. But Park discov-ered that Ncd steadily moves toward themore stable “minus” end by grasping themicrotubule and letting go, grasping andletting go in what he calls a “lever-armmodel.”

“Somehow the different types ofkinesins know which end they’re sup-posed to move to,” Park says. “We are

interested in learning how they knowwhich end they’re supposed to travel towhen they bind to the microtubule.”

Learning about the Ncd motor is onlyone part of a mind-boggling picture.“There are about 124 different kinds ofkinesins in the cell,” Park says. “This isonly one of those.” Although the discov-ery process is arduous, it is also exciting.“It takes a couple of years to crystallizeeach protein,” he says, “but it’s a glori-ous thing to work on.”

Malfunctions, misfolds and mutations

When proteins malfunction, misfoldor mutate, the outcome can be cata-strophic. “DNA repair is the root cause

of most cancers,” observes White. “Ifmutations in the DNA are not fixedproperly, they produce mutated proteins.If the protein doesn’t do its job right,you end up with cancer.”

Our DNA is bombarded constantly,so the cell’s DNA-repair mechanismsmust work overtime to compensate.Usually, the cell can repair mutations.But if something is wrong with the actu-al apparatus—the motor—that does theoverhaul, then the DNA doesn’t getrepaired properly. Scientists hope to shutdown such defective motors to treat cer-tain diseases. And like the microscopicmotors themselves, St. Jude researchersare working constantly, moving inex-orably toward their destination. �

BY MARC KUSINITZ AND

ELIZABETH JANE WALKER

Motors propel cars alonghighways and tractorson farms; they run airconditioners in office

buildings, refrigerators at home and con-veyor belts in factories. Motors areeverywhere, even inside the cells ofyour body.

Structural biologists at St. JudeChildren’s Research Hospital are study-ing two types of biological motors critical to a cell’s ability to divide andproduce healthy daughter cells. Thosemotors are called helicases and kinesins.Helicases help a cell make copies of allits chromosomes so that each daughtercell gets a full set. Kinesins transporteach of those chromosomes into thedaughter cells.

Understanding the structure of thesetiny protein motors may help scientistseventually bring the growth of cancercells to a screeching halt.

Helicases to the rescueThe DNA molecule that makes up a

chromosome is like a rubber ladder thatis twisted into a coil, called a doublehelix. The cell contains two copies ofeach chromosome, one from the motherand one from the father.

In cells preparing for division, everychromosome from both the mother andfather must be copied, or replicated, so

that each of the two daughter cells has acomplete set of chromosomes. Thisrequires the cell to uncoil each chromo-some, split the “ladder” apart andrebuild the halves. The result is twocopies of each chromosome.

One type of helicase enzymeunwinds the double-stranded DNAmolecule. If this process jams and stalls, the cell activates “rescue” helicas-es to cut through the gridlock and allow the DNA to continue the replica-tion process.

Stephen White, DPhil, StructuralBiology chair, is studying how these res-cue helicases work by using an enzymecalled T4 helicase, which is found in theEscherichia coli (or E. coli) bacterium.

“As structural biologists, we like tolook at simple things,” White explains.“If you’re trying to look at a giant,human complex to understand how itworks, it’s very difficult. But if you canfind an equivalent complex in a bacteri-um or a virus that does essentially thesame thing, it’s much easier to look at.So we’re looking at this in T4, a virusthat invades E. coli. T4 has a helicasethat acts like human helicases but in amuch, much simpler system.”

Using a technique called X-ray crystallography, White has created amodel of the enzyme, which gives anintimate look at the graceful loops and

turns that make up T4’s structure. Suchimages are helping White understandhow these rescue helicases work. Theseenzymes are important because if theyare defective, the cell might die orbecome a cancer cell.

Movin’ down the highwayJust before the parent cell divides,

other motors, called kinesins, movechromosomes into place so that eachdaughter cell has a complete set of thesame chromosomes the parent cell had.The kinesins transport the chromosomesalong microscopic highways calledmicrotubules.

Two sets of microtubules lead, likeeast and west routes of a highway, toopposite sides of the cell. Kinesin IImotors carry chromosomes from eachset along one of those microtubule highways. When the cell divides downthe center, each daughter cell then has acomplete set of chromosomes.

Hee-Won Park, PhD, of StructuralBiology created an image of a kinesinmotor called Ncd from the fruit flyDrosophila. “We picked the kinesin pro-tein from Drosophila because webelieve that it’s similar to the humanversion,” Park says. “This is importantbecause cancer cells divide like crazy,and in cancer cells these kinesin proteinsare used for DNA division.”

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MO L E C U L A RMO TO R S

A Peek under the Hood at

St. Jude structural biologists such as department Chair Stephen White, DPhil, and Hee-Won Park, PhD, are studying molecular“motors” called helicases and kinesins. “If mutations in DNA are not fixed properly, they produce mutated proteins,” White says. “Ifthe protein doesn’t do its job right, you end up with cancer.” Usually, cells can repair mutations. But if something is wrong with the“motor” that does the overhaul, then the DNA doesn’t get repaired properly. Scientists hope to treat certain diseases by shutting downsuch defective motors.

18 Promise /

What inspires 150 people to run, relay-

style, 465 miles from Memphis, Tennessee,

to Peoria, Illinois? What prompts them to

spend three sleepless nights in cramped—

and often smelly—RVs? What possesses

them to set out in the blazing summer

heat, with nothing in sight but corn fields

and the occasional downhill slope? These

are only a few of the questions one might

have asked runners

participating in the 22nd

St. Jude Memphis to Peoria

Run last summer.

On th

e Ro

ad to

Text and photos by Laura HajarPEORIA



Everyone knows that Parkinson’s disease affects adults.But by studying this disease,

St. Jude scientists may help children, as well.

By Tanuja ColettaParkinson’s

Progress

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The horde of runners in last year’sMemphis to Peoria Run included 14St. Jude employees who joined thetrek. Runners were organized into twoteams, which “leap frogged” throughTennessee, Kentucky and SouthernIllinois.

It does not take long for first-timeparticipants to discover why so manypeople take part in this event. Answerscome in conversations at dinner andwhile running in the cool dawn air. Ananswer comes from an elderly woman,waiting at the end of her driveway inthe middle of the night, who hands acheck to a group of people runningthrough her neighborhood.

But perhaps the most compellinganswer is emblazoned on a T-shirtworn by a runner and former St. Judepatient: a picture of herself after treat-ment with the words “St. JudeSurvivor” stamped below.

Upon arriving in Peoria, the Memphis runners join individuals who have done auxiliary runsfrom such cities as Chicago, Springfield, Champaign/Urbana, and St. Louis. Together, they runinto the Peoria Civic Center where a telethon for St. Jude is underway. The 2003 St. JudeMemphis to Peoria Run raised $1,221,571 for research and treatment. The 23rd annual St. Jude Memphis to Peoria Run will begin August 4, 2004, at the front door of the hospital and conclude August 7. To make a pledge or donation, call toll-free (800) 713-8223 or visitwww.stjuderuns.org and click on the “Donate” button.



Richard Smeyne, PhD, gets the samereaction every time he gives a tour of his laboratory. Visitors cock their heads, furl their brows and ask the obvious ques-tion: “Why would the world’s premiercenter for the research and treatment ofchildhood illnesses be studyingParkinson’s disease?”

Smeyne draws his answer from theU.S. space program — the “Tang effect”(yes, the orange powder drink mix).

“We spent millions of dollars to go tothe moon, and the things that came out ofit for the general public include Tang, earthermometers and smoke detectors,” heexplains. “In that same vein, while ourmission is to treat children, our researchgoals are to study basic developmentalmechanisms that aren’t necessarily limit-ed to childhood cancer. So while we hopeto find the underlying basis of Parkinson’sdisease, this research may also haveapplications for the children we treat.”

Smeyne and his colleagues in St. JudeDevelopmental Neurobiology are search-ing for the exact location of genes thatcould be used to screen people at risk forParkinson’s disease. St. Jude is home toone of a handful of programs in the worldtaking a serious look at the benefits exer-

cise could have on curbing the disease’ssymptoms and progression. The findingscould offer clues to a variety of neurode-generative diseases, as well as pediatricand adult brain tumors.

Escaping the trapParkinson’s disease can turn even the

simple act of waving a hand into a battlebetween the brain and the nerves. Theprogressive disease afflicts 1 millionAmericans and 2 percent of all peopleolder than 55, making it the third mostcommon neurological disease afterAlzheimer’s and a form of dementia.Many people recognize Parkinson’s char-acteristic symptoms — tremors and theloss of balance and coordination — fromseeing celebrities like Michael J. Fox,Pope John Paul II, Janet Reno andMuhammad Ali cope with the disease.

Although it exacts a hefty physical tollon its victims, Parkinson’s disease rarelyaffects the intellect.

“This is a disease where in most cases,your mental faculties don’t deteriorate,but you physically become immobile,”Smeyne says. “In the end stages, it’s likebeing trapped in your own body.”

The trap is set when nerve cells, orneurons, in a portion of the brain calledthe substantia nigra are damaged ordestroyed. As a result, the cells can nolonger release dopamine, a chemical thathelps keep muscle movement smooth andcontrolled. The symptoms of Parkinson’sdisease appear when most neurons in thesubstantia nigra die.

“Until 70 percent of these cells aredead, you don’t get one symptom,”Smeyne says. “But the bad part is thatonce you get the disease, those neuronscannot be rescued. You can’t turn themback on or get them to work better.They’re gone for good.”

Smeyne is trying to figure out whythis happens and, specifically, how to pre-dict who will succumb to the disease.While the cause of Parkinson’s disease islargely unknown, Smeyne thinks it ismost likely due to a genetic susceptibilityto environmental agents such as certainpesticides and other toxins. The currentgold standard in treatment is the drug lev-odopa, or L-dopa, which neurons can con-vert into dopamine to replenish the brain’sdwindling supply. Although the drug isremarkable at stopping Parkinson’s symp-toms, it isn’t a permanent cure.

“It wears off,” Smeyne says.“Eventually it doesn’t work anymore, andthe cells even regulate against it. Also,some people think — and we’re amongthem — that giving L-dopa actually caus-es the disease to progress faster.”

Gaining a better understanding of howthe brain cells work could lead to earlierdetection and more effective treatment.

A new approachBecause Parkinson’s symptoms appear

late — sometimes several years afteronset — and are often coupled with otherillnesses of aging, understanding the dis-ease’s basic cell biology was limited untilan accidental discovery 22 years ago.That’s when a group of California drugusers botched an attempt to make synthet-ic heroin and instead produced a neuro-toxin known as MPTP. The next day, theaddicts were catatonic with severe parkin-sonian symptoms. All of the patientsimproved immediately with L-dopa.

Richard Smeyne, PhD,of St. Jude Develop-mental Neurobiology issearching for the exactlocation of genes thatcould be used to screenpeople at risk forParkinson’s disease. St. Jude is one of ahandful of programs inthe world studying thebenefits exercise couldhave on curbing the dis-ease’s symptoms andprogression. The find-ings could offer clues toa variety of neurodegen-erative diseases, as wellas pediatric and adultbrain tumors.

Since then, MPTP has opened thedoors for researchers to create lab modelsto study Parkinson’s disease. While thechemical is devastating to humans, it doesnot kill enough neurons in laboratorymice for them to develop the debilitatingsymptoms of the disease. Observing thatsome strains of mice were naturally resist-ant to MPTP’s effects, Smeyne and hiscolleagues compared genetic differencesand identified the exact chromosomallocation of the genes involved inParkinson’s disease.

“We took a neurogenetic approach tothe disease that no one was really doing atthe time on an experimental level,”Smeyne says.

Now his lab is homing in on the genesthat can lead individuals to developParkinson’s disease.

“We’ve actually shown in our lab thatthe nerve cells die only after they interactwith another type of cell in the braincalled a glial cell,” Smeyne says. Glialcells make up the brain’s support tissueand do not conduct electrical impulses asdo neurons. While popular belief holdsthat glial cells are the glue that holds neu-rons together, Smeyne takes another view.

“We believe that glia do not only sup-port neurons, but play a much more criti-cal role in brain function,” he says. “Ibelieve that Parkinson’s disease will ulti-mately be found to be a disease of glialcells that affect neurons through theirinteractions.”

Smeyne’s lab is now testing ways tointerfere with the process and keep celldeath under 70 percent. “If we do that, wewill stop the symptoms from ever arising,which is an effective cure in itself,”Smeyne says.

He was surprised to learn that exercisemight be the key.

Deluxe mouse padBesides L-dopa and other drugs, cur-

rent Parkinson treatments range fromstem cell transplantation to deep brainstimulation, where a pacemaker conductsimpulses to electrodes surgically insertedin the brain.

“Right now, there’s a huge emphasisin biotech and pharmaceutical companies

on using compounds called neurotrophins,or growth factors, as therapies becauseit’s been shown that those chemicals pro-tect the neurons that die in Parkinson’sdisease,” Smeyne says. “The problem iswith the delivery of these compounds intothe brain; there is very little control. Somy lab is looking for ways to stop theprocess without using these drugs.”

A lab member suggested they testmice exposed to MPTP by using the centuries-old “enriched environment”concept — which relies on social, mentaland physical stimulation to increase brainfunction. Research had shown that ani-

mals raised in this environment hadstronger neurons with more dendrites and synapses, which help neurons sendsignals to other cells. But Smeyne wasskeptical about how the process wouldaffect toxins.

The researchers moved groups of 14MPTP-exposed mice from normal cages,which usually house about five mice withfood, water and little else, into spaciouscages filled with toys, mazes and exercisewheels — what Smeyne calls the TrumpPlaza of mouse housing.

The results were amazing.“Three months later, there was zero

cell loss,” he says. “They were 100 per-cent protected in this enriched environ-ment. We couldn’t believe it.”

Wanting to see if the reaction was spe-cific to Parkinson’s disease, theresearchers ran the experiment in labmodels of pediatric seizures. Again, theneurons were completely protected.

Because the way cells die inParkinson’s disease and pediatric seizuresis different and because neurons were

protected in both experiments, Smeyne’slab deduced that something external wasprotecting the neurons.

They found that mice raised in thedeluxe cages had increased neutrophinlevels. “So when neurons get injured bythe toxin, the extra neutrophins are thereto support them through the toxic insultand recover,” Smeyne says.

Next the researchers broke theenriched environments down to cages thateither contained mazes, open space orexercise wheels. “It was the aerobic exer-cise that was working. Just running onthose wheels was enough to offer protec-

tion.” The outcome was equally good foradult mice, proving that “it’s never toolate” to start exercising to be protected.Now, Smeyne is studying how muchexercise is needed and how long the neu-ron protection lasts.

St. Jude researchers think the findingsmay be useful for children who undergocancer therapy. Studies have shown thatabout four years after receiving full cra-nial radiation, some children experience adecrease in their IQ levels. The cause isunknown, but neuron loss could be onereason, says Smeyne.

Putting the “Tang effect” into practice,St. Jude scientists are discussing aresearch project to see if exercise can helpreduce nerve cell death in these children.“This research that came out ofParkinson’s disease may work well withhandling some of the secondary effectsthat we see from chemotherapy and radia-tion,” Smeyne says. “This is the kind ofthing that can only happen at St. Jude,where our research can be translated tothe clinic almost seamlessly.”�

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While we hope to find the underlyingbasis of Parkinson’s disease, thisresearch may also have applications forthe children we treat.


When I was a kid attending Catholicschools in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I partici-pated in Math-A-Thons® for St. JudeChildren’s Research Hospital. With myclassmates, I watched videos of DannyThomas and his family talking about thehospital and its patients. I rememberthinking, “Those kids are my age,” and I felt so bad for them.

But it wasn’t until I was an adultworking in New York that a little girlmade St. Jude real to me—by issuing arequest that I couldn’t ignore. HaleyHubbard didn’t know me, but we werefrom the same hometown. She had seennewspaper articles about my involvementwith charity events in Tulsa. Convincedthat I cared aboutchildren, she told thepeople at St. Jude,“This woman willhelp us. Call her!”

So a St. Judedoctor called andtalked to me. I wastouched to hearabout the hospitalagain and to learnabout the childrenand their families.

I was crying bythe end of the con-versation, saying,“I’ll do anything!What do you wantme to do?”

Thank God forHaley and for the faiththat she had! Haley

and I met for the first time at the hospital,where I held her hand while she under-went a medical procedure. Since then, Ihave watched her grow, seen her prompictures and served as a sort of long-distance big sister.

Now she’s graduating from highschool and going to college.

I help St. Jude because it gives kidslike Haley a chance to grow up. Childrenhave the right to live and to experiencelife to its fullest. That’s why people do the hard and diligent work they do for St. Jude—so that they can see these children smile and someday have normal lives.

The research and development at

St. Jude is by far the best in the world.And they share their information witheveryone. I think it is extraordinary in our day and age that St. Jude is willing to share information and not hoard it for its own financial advantage. The hospital goes into countries that can’tafford the medicine or the technology and helps them cure cancers and cata-strophic diseases.

I have a little boy. That’s definitely areason for me to help. God forbid that itshould happen, but if I ever had a sickchild, I’d know exactly where to go.

The doctors and nurses, theresearchers, the Thomas family, the fund-raisers at ALSAC—they’re all

healers who are saving livesand making changes in theworld.

It’s up to you and me tohelp them.�

Actress and supermodelAmber Valletta is a memberof the hospital’s ProfessionalAdvisory Board. She hasbeen heavily involved insuch St. Jude fund-raisingevents as Runway for Life,the L.A. Gala and theMonaco Gala. Valletta is thecelebrity spokesperson forThe Night for the ChildrenGala, which will be heldJuly 23 at the Monte Carlo

Sporting Club, Monaco. (Seewww.nightforthechildren.comfor more information.)

Got smiles?Crystal Smith, RN, assists patient Krista Kellon with her milk mustache for the “Got Milk?/Shake Stuff Up” photo contest.The contest was part of the hospital’s celebration of National Nutrition Month. The theme was milk and dairy. PatientCourtney Hayworth was selected as the photo contest winner for Memphis. One local “Shake Stuff Up” winner is selectedin each city and one grand-prize winner will win an ad in Rolling Stone magazine for the milk campaign.

“It wasn’t until I was an adult working in New York that a

little girl made St. Jude real to me—by issuing a request

that I couldn’t ignore.”

St. Jude patient Haley Hubbard didn’t know supermodel Amber Valletta, but shehad heard about Valletta, since they were from the same hometown. The girl justknew that Valletta would embrace the St. Jude mission, once she heard about it.Sure enough, when Valletta learned about St. Jude, she threw her influence andenergy into helping the kids of St. Jude.

Pe r s p e c t i v eA Call to Action

By Amber Valletta

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