Author David Fajgenbaum
#NetGalley David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc is one of the youngest individuals to be appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine. Co-founder and executive director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network and an NIH-funded physician-scientist, he has dedicated his life to discovering new treatments and cures for deadly disorders like Castleman disease, which he was diagnosed with during medical school. He is in the top 1% youngest grant awardees of an R01, one of the most competitive and sought after grants in all of biomedical research. Dr. Fajgenbaum has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 healthcare list, as a top healthcare leader by Becker's Hospital Review, and one of the youngest people ever elected as a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the nation's oldest medical society. He was one of three recipients--including Vice President Joe Biden--of a 2016 Atlas Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. Winner of the Rare Champion of Hope Science award, Dr. Fajgenbaum has been profiled in a cover story by the New York Times as well as profiles by Reader's Digest, Science, and the Today Show. Dr. Fajgenbaum earned his BS from Georgetown University magna cum laude with honors and distinction, MSc from the University of Oxford, MD from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and MBA from The Wharton School. He is a former Division I College Quarterback, state-champion weight lifter, and co-founder of a national grief support network.
#NetGalley David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc is one of the youngest individuals to be appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine. Co-founder and executive director of the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network and an NIH-funded physician-scientist, he has dedicated his life to discovering new treatments and cures for deadly disorders like Castleman disease, which he was diagnosed with during medical school. He is in the top 1% youngest grant awardees of an R01, one of the most competitive and sought after grants in all of biomedical research. Dr. Fajgenbaum has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 healthcare list, as a top healthcare leader by Becker's Hospital Review, and one of the youngest people ever elected as a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the nation's oldest medical society. He was one of three recipients--including Vice President Joe Biden--of a 2016 Atlas Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. Winner of the Rare Champion of Hope Science award, Dr. Fajgenbaum has been profiled in a cover story by the New York Times as well as profiles by Reader's Digest, Science, and the Today Show. Dr. Fajgenbaum earned his BS from Georgetown University magna cum laude with honors and distinction, MSc from the University of Oxford, MD from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and MBA from The Wharton School. He is a former Division I College Quarterback, state-champion weight lifter, and co-founder of a national grief support network.
Summary of Book
David Fajgenbaum was a former Georgetown quarterback nicknamed the Beast in medical school, where he was also known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from inexplicable fatigue. In a matter of weeks, his organs were failing and he was read his last rites. Doctors were baffled by his condition, which they had yet to even diagnose. Floating in and out of consciousness, Fajgenbaum prayed for the equivalent of a game day overtime: a second chance.
Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived—only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease, an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed while on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: Between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends, and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world-class researchers to tackle them. Instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he would attempt to align them himself.
More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, Fajgenbaum has seen his hard work pay off: A treatment that he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when the forces of determination, love, family, faith, and serendipity collide.
Miraculously, Fajgenbaum survived—only to endure repeated near-death relapses from what would eventually be identified as a form of Castleman disease, an extremely deadly and rare condition that acts like a cross between cancer and an autoimmune disorder. When he relapsed while on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action: Between hospitalizations he studied his own charts and tested his own blood samples, looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. With the help of family, friends, and mentors, he also reached out to other Castleman disease patients and physicians, and eventually came up with an ambitious plan to crowdsource the most promising research questions and recruit world-class researchers to tackle them. Instead of waiting for the scientific stars to align, he would attempt to align them himself.
More than five years later and now married to his college sweetheart, Fajgenbaum has seen his hard work pay off: A treatment that he identified has induced a tentative remission and his novel approach to collaborative scientific inquiry has become a blueprint for advancing rare disease research. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when the forces of determination, love, family, faith, and serendipity collide.
David and his beautiful wife Caitlin
Chasing My Cure
By David Fajgenbaum
Review by HeidiLynn's BookReviews
First, I would like to thank David Fajgenbaum, Ballantine
Books, and NetGalley for providing me this book so I may bring you this review.
Chasing my Cure A Doctor’s Race To Turn Hope Into Action’s
author David Fajgenbaum is a must read book if you like Medical Memoirs like I
do. David Fajgenbaum is the bravest man I know to open up his heart and tell
his story the way that he did. He is also the strongest men I know who didn’t
give up on finding a cure for his mysterious disease. At times it seemed so frustrating
and I wanted to just give him a hug.
He would like to dedicate this book to his mom, dad,
sisters, and Caitlin and Amelia. They taught him how to live, supported him
when he was dying and inspired me to chase cures for my disease and others. He
loves you.
One big lesson you walk away with in this is that family is
extremely important. His family was amazing each and every one. I loved reading
about the bond he had with his Mom and how they were so close. My heart ached
when she passed. But I think she was with him as a guardian angel looking over
him during all the bad times.
Caitlin in my eyes is a saint with a beautiful heart of gold.
Her role in this story is amazing. David is blessed to have her in his life!
For me I loved this book because I think medicine is fascinating.
I wouldn’t wish anyone go through what David went through or what he has.
However, I found this book fascinating. He educated his readers on the disease
and the line of treatment that he was receiving.
There was a part in the book that made me laugh. He was
delivering a baby his first baby and he kept thinking don’t drop it, Dave. Don’t
drop it. Dave. Don’t drop it Dave. I always wondered if Doctors thought that way.
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