Leukemia & Lymphoma Society recognizes UNMC research

Receiving tokens of appreciation during the luncheon were, from left: Deb Lytle, UNMC research technologist, Christine Eischen, Ph.D., assistant professor, Eppley Cancer Institute, and Timothy Greiner, M.D., associate professor, department of pathology and microbiology.

Matt Peters sat among board members, researchers and staff during a recent luncheon of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Nebraska Chapter. He wasn’t a board member nor a researcher, but someone whose family has benefited from the work of the society and cancer researchers.

“You have all helped us tremendously . physicians, researchers and the society,” Peters told the group.

Peters is the father of six children, two of whom had cancer. His 12-year-old daughter, Morgan, had rhabdomyosarcoma and has been in remission six years. His son, Charlie, who was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma, has been in remission one year.
Without research, his children may not have survived, he said.

Ten years ago, the survival rate for Burkitt’s was 10 percent, compared to 75 percent today, he said. Six years ago, the survival rate for rhabdomyosarcoma was 50 percent, compared to 75 to 80 percent today.

Christine Eischen, Ph.D., assistant professor, Eppley Cancer Institute, far right, talks about research that goes on in her lab. From left to right are Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Nebraska Chapter board members Doug Gilbert, John Chisholm and Tom Adams.

“Oddly enough, if we have the gene in the family that causes cancer, we also have been fortunate to survive,” Peters said. “It’s hard to imagine that if it weren’t for the research, we wouldn’t have this impact in society. My family has been truly blessed by that.”

During the luncheon at UNMC, Society Chairman of the Board Stephen Peters presented the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center a national award in recognition of the center’s research. Also recognized were Christine Eischen, Ph.D., who received a prestigious five-year, $500,000 scholar award from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Timothy Greiner, M.D., associate professor, department of pathology and microbiology, a physician-scientist who received a translational research grant from the Society.

“We have phenomenal research activity that goes on here,” Peters said. “It’s one of the things that makes our chapter strong.”

Stephen Peters, chairman of the board of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Nebraska Chapter, presents Christine Eischen, Ph.D., with a national Society award of appreciation to recognize research conducted at the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center. Dr. Eischen accepted the award on behalf of Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Eppley Cancer Center.

He also acknowledged the recently established UNMC Center for Research in Leukemia and Lymphoma, which will facilitate a more rapid translation of research discoveries to benefit cancer patients.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. The Society’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, the Society has provided more than $358 million for research specifically targeting blood cancers.