Small, but mighty

It's a bit of an odd feeling being one of a handful of people randomly chosen to test the efficacy of Olaparib to treat ovarian cancer. When I really think about all the factors that had to align - timing of my reoccurence, the start up of the study in Hamilton, the computer's random selection - I feel a little awed I'm actually participating in this study.

Like James Bond and the rest of the double 0 agents in M15, I'm in select company. Yet, I didn't realize how special until I looked a little closer at the little white bottles that house my pills.

The study protocol indicates 150 women in 50 countries are participating in the clinical trial. Yet, my investigation reveals a bit of a different story. I'm not questioning it (in all honesty, I don't care as long as I am on it), but I find it interesting.

This summer, after approximately my third or fourth chemo, I finally looked closely at the label affixed to the side of the bottle. What looked like a bunch of drug company mumbo jumbo turned out to be country abbreviations with a number beside each. I guessed at some of the abbreviations (many incorrectly) before I noticed there were several pages to the label, secured with tape. I lifted the flap and discovered the pages contained the instructions, warnings and number of participants, as well as the addresses of Astra Zeneca (the drug company) for each of the countries involved with the clinical trial.

Flipping through, I found:

BE-NL - 2  (Belgium)
BE-FR - 3  (Belgium)
BE-DE - 4  (Belgium)
CA-UK - 5  (Canada)
CA-FR - 6  (Canada) - I think this one is mine because there are six participants in Hamilton
CZ - 7  (Sweden)
DE - 8  (Sweden)
PE - 9  (Peru)
US - 10  (United States)
AU - 12  (Australia)
IT - 13  (Italy)
UK - 14  (United Kingdom)
PA - 15  (Panama)
ES - 16  (Spain)
NL - 17  (the Netherlands)

If these numbers are accurate, 141 women in 11 countries are involved in a similiar experience to mine. In terms of timing, some are ahead of me and some behind. But we're all placing our hope - and our lives - on the chance this will beat back (and hopefully kill) all the cancer cells making their homes in our bodies. I'm sure we all feel this is our chance to expand the number of years we have to enjoy our lives.

I'd love to talk to some of the other participants. I'd enjoy hearing their stories and their dreams. I'm sure in many ways we're very different, but I'm equally confident we share similar traits too. We all have the will to live.

We're a small, select group willing to take a chance on an experimental drug to help, not only ourselves, but other women afflicted with ovarian cancer. I count myself extremely blessed to be one of this group.

Die cancer die.

Tina