by Diego de la Garza and Kristen Pugh
When the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) needed someone to testify to the importance of clinical research, they turned to someone who could talk about it firsthand: City of Hope patient Loring Leeds.
 Loring Leeds (Photo Courtesy of CHI) |
CHI advocates on behalf of the biomedical industry, and Leeds embodies the industry’s end results.
Diagnosed with AIDS-related lymphoma in 1998, Leeds underwent an investigational treatment at City of Hope that gave him a second chance at life. He shared his story at the California Biomedical Industry Report launch dinner in Sacramento in late January, silencing the crowd of networking legislators and biomedical leaders with his words and moving many to tears.
“When I was diagnosed with HIV-related lymphoma, few in the medical community were able to offer much in the way of hope,” said Leeds. “As my doctor told me to get my affairs in order, she slipped me a note with the name and contact information of City of Hope physician Dr. Amrita Krishnan.
“That is when I became part of a truly remarkable clinical study at City of Hope. The results changed my life and the way we all look at HIV and related cancers,” continued Leeds. “Here I am, 10 years later, cancer-free, and it’s all thanks to the life’s work of doctors and researchers who search for answers.”
The speech left an indelible mark on the packed crowd of more than 200 people, many of whom thanked him for sharing his experiences.
“City of Hope doctors, nurses and research scientists are filled with passion and compassion. They are visionaries,” said Leeds. “Participating in a clinical trial transcends your life. You give so much to the future.”
CHI is a nonprofit, public-policy research organization that represents leading California academic institutions, biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics and pharmaceutical firms. The California Biomedical Industry Report provides an overview of employment trends, product development pipeline, opportunities and challenges for biomedical research in California. For more information about the institute, visit www.chi.org.
