Fall 2021
Hello to all our friends! Dr. Leonard sends his fall greetings and best wishes for health and happiness to you and yours.
All is good here. Blessings are abundant for Doc and as he celebrated his 91st birthday at the end of October, the same week that he managed to get his beloved Dahlia bulbs dug up from the dirt and prepared for wintering over in their wagon, to return to the dirt once again in the spring. The circle of life and all that good stuff.
The work in the lab continues to be Dr. Leonard’s biggest focus, and he is following the progress closely, keeping pace with the funding needed to deliver the results we are all looking for: FDA clinical trials and application of the cancer therapy for human use.
Here is the most concise explanation of the current work:
We are engineering bacteria to deliver proteins to tumors that bind to receptors on the surface of immune cells that cause the immune cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Our bacteria are also engineered to be invisible to the immune system as they travel throughout the body seeking tumors to colonize. In this way we are developing a nontoxic therapy to eliminate cancer and establish an immune memory to prevent its return.
To continue this research, the lab requires approximately $250,000 each year. Like with everything else, costs have increased for many of the supplies necessary for the experiments, and we are working hard to increase our contributions to the lab, and are asking for your help.
Please SAVE THE DATE of Thursday, April 14th, 2022 for Doc’s Cancer Shootout at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club. We haven’t been able to gather there since 2019 and are planning on making this one EPIC. Not interested in hunting? You can still attend the dinner/raffle portion of the fundraiser and be able to spend time with the doctors, while having a great meal with other long-time supporters of Dr. Leonard’s cancer research, and enjoy lively auctions, raffles, games of chance, and a dinner program.
You are invited to join us for the 30th Anniversary of Doc’s Cancer Shootout! Dr. Leonard will love to see you, and it will be nice to be together again for some laughs. More information can be found on the events tab at www.ASLcancerfund.org. Other ways to support our primary fundraiser is to donate in kind gifts of products, services or gift cards, or by becoming a Corporate Sponsor. Give us a call if you have questions. 612-280-6244.
That’s it for now! Stay well and enjoy this beautiful fall weather, the circle of life, and all that good stuff.
Bonnie & Doc
What do you get when you combine the gentlemen of Phi Kappa Psi at the University of Minnesota and 6 years of pumpkin carve fundraisers? Over $50,000 raised in contributions to the Leonard/Saltzman Cancer Research Lab! We are so proud of these guys, and send a big thank you for their commitment to helping others and funding the lab.
