Without talking about YOU for a second, let's talk about someone who took that brave step. Meet the 15 year old [yea! you read right] who is changing how we test for Cancer.
I've always thought (and still do) that we are missing the simplest things because we are thinking too hard or too far out. Sometimes I think the cure for AIDS [if the US government doesn't already have it and being selfish with it...to make pharmaceutical companies keep selling... - #sigh# another topic for another day people] is right under our noses but we are all just looking for complicated/ complex solutions to these problems.
Thank goodness for 15-year-old, Jack Andraka, a high school freshman, who came up with a simple and inexpensive test to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Here's his story:
Jack Andraka is a 15-year-old student from Maryland, who took first place in this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), with his mind-blowing discovery of a paper sensor that detects pancreatic cancer 168 times faster than current tests. His discovery is also 90% accurate, 400 times more sensitive, and 26,000 times LESS expensive than today's methods. Summary: It's much more better.
Jack Andraka's dip-stick sensor can test blood or urine for a certain protein called mesothelin, which indicates the presence of the specific cancer. According to Andraka, it can detect cancer even before it becomes invasive.
He plans to use his $75,000 winnings to invest in his college education, with plans to become a pathologist. However, in the meantime, Jack plans to start clinical trials with the sensor, meet with Quest Diagnostics, and get his product on the market within 10 years. [hmmm... what was I doing in high school/ college?!...one word = alcohol x_x ]
What are you gonna do now?
I've always thought (and still do) that we are missing the simplest things because we are thinking too hard or too far out. Sometimes I think the cure for AIDS [if the US government doesn't already have it and being selfish with it...to make pharmaceutical companies keep selling... - #sigh# another topic for another day people] is right under our noses but we are all just looking for complicated/ complex solutions to these problems.
Thank goodness for 15-year-old, Jack Andraka, a high school freshman, who came up with a simple and inexpensive test to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Here's his story:
Jack Andraka is a 15-year-old student from Maryland, who took first place in this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), with his mind-blowing discovery of a paper sensor that detects pancreatic cancer 168 times faster than current tests. His discovery is also 90% accurate, 400 times more sensitive, and 26,000 times LESS expensive than today's methods. Summary: It's much more better.
"I became interested in early detection [because a friend's brother was killed by the disease], did a ton of research, and came up with this idea," Andraka said. |
He plans to use his $75,000 winnings to invest in his college education, with plans to become a pathologist. However, in the meantime, Jack plans to start clinical trials with the sensor, meet with Quest Diagnostics, and get his product on the market within 10 years. [hmmm... what was I doing in high school/ college?!...one word = alcohol x_x ]
What are you gonna do now?
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