AdventuresofUncertainty
BishopKennethMonroe
I am not sure of the approach this presentation is to take, “Hope, Help: Faith in the American Society.” Of course, faith in the American experience is very broad because each individual,eachethnic groupalongwiththevariousculturesthatexistin Americawillcauseone to have a different faith experience. Therefore, my presentation today has to come from my personalfaithexperienceasablackpersoninAmerica.
It is interesting how our faith is shaped by the experiences we encounter as well as the exposure of the culture that influences us. Even though most Americans have embraced an American culture which is about freedom as well as the advantages of a capitalistic society, everyone has not experienced such a culture. Moreover, American life is full of various cultures because every race, ethic group or religion has their own cultureorcustom orif you will, way of life. For instance, while growing up in Red Springs, NC - it never occurred to me that we were pooruntilIgotolderandbegantonoticethedisparity. Igrewupinahousethatonlyhad(4)four rooms: two(2)bedrooms; akitchenandalivingroomwithmy(4)fourbrothers,mymotherand father;anoutsidetoiletandnorunningwater. Ineverknewmysisterbecauseshediedfromsome poison she ate as a small child. The interesting thing about her death, as I was told, is that when shewascarriedtothedoctor’soffice,blackpeopleweretoentertheoffice
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from the side entrance and wait even though it was an emergency. While waiting for medical attention, the poison destroyed her body. She had eaten lye while the babysitter was making soap. My mother worked as a maid, housekeeper and babysitter making only a very meagerincome. Sheleftusalone(5boys);so,shecouldgotakecareofthechildrenofherwhite employers. We attended an all-black school, even though the superintendent was white and the membersoftheBoardof Educationwereallwhite,theydecidedwhatwasbestforourschool. I often thought of those days and noted how we were able to survive. Most black people livedwith thesameeconomicconditionsaswedid. TheAmerican dreamwasjustadream. Just a few black people did a little better than others, but even their best did not compare with how white people lived. Even in Robeson County, the Native Americans mostly lived outside of the city or town limits except for Pembroke or one of the smaller communities in Robeson County. We all attended different school districts, even though the population of the county was equally distributedwithwhite,blacksandNativeAmericans. EvenwhenRedSpringshadamovietheater, the blacks and Native Americans were separated in the balcony, while the whites were down on thelowerlevelofthetheater. Itbecameimperativetoexemplifyfaithaswesoughttoliveoutthe Americandream. Duringthosedays,apersonmayormaynothaveviewedalifeofsegregation, discrimination and poverty as the norm. Yet, is it better to accept such a life of segregation and povertyasthenorminAmerica? Moreover,livingaroundpeoplewheneveryoneispoor,everyone issubjectedtothesame
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conditions and most people had come to accept the fact that this is the life for the person youare-canbecomethenorm. Nonetheless,whenonelooksacrosstownandnotethingsarenot the same, a person wrestles with what has been accepted as the norm and wonder why there is a difference. EveryoneworshipsthesameGodwho causestheraintofallonthejustaswellasthe unjust; andthesuntoshineontheevil andthegood. So,thequestionarises,“Am I just or unjust or am I evil or good? If I am in either category, how did I get here or who caused me to be here?” Thefaithweexercisedatthattimewasbasicallyanavenuetosurvival. Regardless of the conditions or even the positions we found ourselves, there was always hopeaswellashelpfora betterdayorevenabetterlife. Ihavediscovered thatobtainingsucha placeor a condition of life or even a position in life requires an intentional effort to employ faith andmoveagainsttheodds. Faithisprimaryandnecessarytomoveagainsttheoddsandmakethe impossible possible. In most instances, moving against the odds creates emergency situations which are uncertain, contradictory, unnerving, painful, uneasy, but can usher one into the miraculous. Without question, there have been any number of people who have given up on life because they found no reason to hope. Someone defined hope as “desire with expectation of obtaining what is desired.” Hope is more than desire; it adds the ingredient of expectation and fulfillment. Even though we did not have much, there was always the desire as well as the expectationtoachievemoreandtohaveabetterlife. Itwasdesireandexpectationofmostofour peopletowalknottowardsthesunsetbuttowards
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thesunrise. Tomoveonwards,nottoanightwhichfalls,buttoadawnwhichbreaks.
In 1969, I graduated from Red Springs High School, the first totally integrated class. During that year, there was much unrest and violence in the town. I entered Red Springs High School in 1965-1966 as a freshman. I was one of the first black students to attend Red Springs High School. I really cannot recall much of my experience as a student because I spent time learning from the experienceof being in a strange place. However, I do recall being in a strange place. Perhaps it was strange because I was surrounded by people who really did not want me around them. It was strange because I looked differently than they looked and I perhaps spoke differentlythantheyspokeeventhoughweallspokeEnglish. Itwasalmostlikebeingapetrather than a person, yet I had the same number of emotions, intelligence and physical qualities as they did. It was strange because I was in a different culture among people with a different mind-set thanIhadorevenadifferentcolorofskinthanIhad. IreallycannotexplainwhyIdecidedtogo to this strange place. Perhaps it was the beginning of an opportunity to create a new way of life. It was a venture into the unknown. It was something that I had never done before and a place I hadnevergonebefore. Perhaps,itwasanactoffaith!
Atthattime,Ihadnotconsideredracismtobesystemicorsystematic. Eventhoughslavery wassystematic becauseit was aplanoramethodto keeppeopleundercontrol,yetforme andso many others, this was a need to have hope for a better day. Jim Crow Laws, separate but equal laws,discrimination,
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segregationandothertacticswereallapartofasystemtokeeppeopleundercontrol. Even the jobs black people had, the places they lived, the salaries or wages they were given were all a partofasystemtokeepthemundercontrolinthissmalltown.
Whenonethinksofthehistoryaswellassomeofthecurrentconditionsblackpeoplehave hadtoendure,itcausesonetothinkofthehopeaswellasthehelpneededtosurvive. Whatdoes apersondowhentheyarealwaysfacingdeadends? Usually,deadendstellusthatwehavegone our limits. The only thing left to do when we get to a dead end is to turn around and go in the opposite direction which is the opposite of hope. Most times, dead ends are hopeless. Unfortunately, there are situations about us where people are headed toward the sunset – a dead end. Perhaps their thinking is that this will always be this way! Yet, our faith can help us understand that our dead ends are avenues for new beginnings. Our dead ends are opportunities for us to change, to refocus or to proceed into the unknown, strange places and into challenging territory. Sometimes,deadendsareopportunities forgrowth anddevelopment. Newgroundhas to be paved at a dead end. New frontier is created at a dead end. Our faith is challenged and energizedatdeadends.
Andnow,withtheonset oftheCOVID19pandemic,itappearsthatwe areoverwhelmed with a greater concern for the lives of people. Statistics indicate that more people of color are effected and dying of COVID 19, the Delta and the Omicron variance than any other races or ethnicgroups. It behoovesusto bemorevisualas wecontinue toseekavenuesto survive inthis country. Ofcourse,
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Idonotthinkthatthevirushasbeenplacedonlyonpeopleofcolor,becauseallpeopleare effected. Nevertheless, because of the uncertaintiesof this country,misinformed, vulnerableand marginalizedindividuals,agreatdealofpeoplehavenotbeenabletoreceivethenecessaryhealth care,thekindofnutrientsandothereconomicadvantagestomaintaingoodhealthylives.
Withoutquestion,ourfaith inGodand ourfaithinoneanotherhaveallowedustoendure and overcome a great deal of adversities in the last 400 years. Moreover, our faith in God will continue to allow us to access more avenues for transformation and healing in this country. In 2018, I authored a book entitled, Adventures of Uncertainty, Making the Impossible Possible with God. It is a biography of my life and it is a means of sharing my life and my thinking regardingthevariousadventuresofmyministry.
The various uncertainties of this country as well as this current pandemic present to us more adventures for our faith to be employed. Whether we realize it or not, we are again faced withadventuresthatonlythefaithwehaveinGodandinoneanothercanleadustotransformation andhealing. Moreover,itisimperativeforallofustoembracethemind-setthatweareagentsof change. Aswejourneythroughthispandemicaswellasseektofindresolutionfortheillsofthis country, it is imperative that we embrace the following directives that can help us to acquire a healthierenvironmentaswellasatransformativeperson.
Perhaps thefirst wayto surviveand embracehope and help is to just Stay Focused. The writerof2Corinthianssays, “So we fix our eyes not on what is
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seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Unfortunately,most ofuscanonly seewhatis visible ifwecanseeatall. Aspeopleoffaithand aspeoplewhoseekjustice,equalityandchange,itisimperativeforustoseebeyondthephysical. When we are not focused, we only see that which will bring discomfort and harm to us. We can only see discouragement and pain. A focused eye sees clearly. A focused eye sees love in the midsthatred. Afocusedeyeseesawaywhenthereisnoway. Afocusedeyeseesjoyinthemidst ofsorrow. Afocusedeyeseesbeyondthestrife,beyondthetribulationandbeyondthedestruction.
Please understand that Staying Focused is a way of paying attention, not to those things thatwill bringhavocto us,buttothose thingsthat will direct ustoovercomethatwhichwill and can harm us. Staying Focused means, we will not allow distractions to influence our thinking, influenceourgoingaswellasinfluenceourworkingorourbeliefs. Stayingfocusedisthemeans ofkeepingourhopealive.
I am reminded of a story of a man who found himself in the midst of an adventure of uncertainty. He had nothing for his family to eat. Upon searching throughout the house, he discoveredthathehadanoldshotgunandonlythreebullets. So,hedecidedthathewouldgoout andkillsomethingforhisfamilytoeat. Ashewentdowntheroad,hesawarabbitandheshotat therabbit and missedit. Thenhesawasquirrelandfired ashot atthesquirrel and missedit. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey in the tree and he had only one bullet, but a voice came to himandsaid, “Pray first, aim high and stay focused.”
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However,atthesametime,hesawadeer,whichwasabetterkill. Heboughtthegundown and aimed at the deer, but then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturallybroughtthegundownfurthertoshoottherattlesnake. Still,thevoicesaidagaintohim, “Pray first, aim high and stay focused.” So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed thenaimedthegunhighupinthetreeandshotthewildturkey. Thebulletbouncedofftheturkey andkilledthedeer. Thehandlefelloffthegun,hitthesnakeinthehead,andkilledit. Andwhen thegunhadgoneoff,itknockedhimintothepond. Whenhestoodtolookaround,hehadfishin allhispockets,adeaddeerandturkeytoeat. Thesnakewasdeadsimplybecausethemanlistened toGodduringhismomentofuncertainty.
Secondly, it is imperative for us to ServeFaithfully. I am often troubled by leaders who are first to take cover, leaving their followersto fight thegood fight by themselves. It is without question,aspeopleofvision,aspeoplewithpurposeandpossibility,wewillhaveadversitiesand difficulties. ThewriteroftheBookofCorinthiansstates, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Yet,Iamnotsureifmanyofourleadersarewillingtoserveinthemidstoftheperversion, persecutionandthepandemic. Somehowsomeofushavelostthespiritofservanthood. Itappears that there is a great concerned about being honored, rewarded, benefited, recognized and celebratedratherthanjustbeingaservant. Needlesstosay,whenweembracethiskindofattitude, thepurpose
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andplanofGodforthecommunityaswellasourfutureisignored. Wecanbecomemanipulators, mean, miserable managers rather than movers and masters of misfortunes. We embrace power rather than the people; we build companies rather than communities. There is more jealousy amongusthanthereisJesus. OurmeansofserviceisinterruptedwithvaingloryforGod. ServingFaithfully isgoingaboutdoingwhatyoucandoanddoingthatwhichyouknow how to do well! Sometimeswe feelGod expects moreout ofus, whenactually Heexpects us to respondtoHiminfaithandwiththegiftsandgracesHehasgiventous. Wecannotbefaithfulto God or anyone else when we are constantly fearful of what is before us. Believe or not, God is counting on us to lead His people through this pandemic as well as lead us through the unrest created by systemic racism and the other ills of this country. We cannot be faithful to God or anyoneelse when we are always missing in action. Thereis no doubt about it, things arenot the same. The people need directions, they need nurturing, they need comforting, they need to be taught,andtheyneedtoknowthattheyarenotaloneinthispandemicandtheyneedtoknowthat GodlovesandGodcares. Itisneverabouthowwellwedobutdoingwhatweknowtodo-well! But then finally, as we continuously employ our faith, it is imperative that we are always moving forward. Without question, God is not through with us yet! During these strange and uncertaintimes,Godhascreatedopportunityforustoworktogetherbecauseweareinpreparation toexperienceagreatshiftinourcultureandinoursocietyandthe ShiftisForward. Manyofus havealready
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shifted from good to great or from difficulty, disaster and danger to deliverance or from being convinced to becoming converted. Whether we come to understand it or not, a time will come whenwehavetoshiftfromthistemporallifetolifeeternal. Pleaseknowthatwhereverweareor whatever wemay beengaged in this pandemic, time will come whenwhat we are about will end andwewillhavetoShiftForwardtoanewlevel,anewplace,andanewexistence. Ecclesiastes 3:1state, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
As much as I love serving God by serving His people, our time of service will shift from the people of God to the person of God. The time is approaching when we will shift from grace andmercytogloryandhallelujah. Presently,allwedoforGodandthepeopleofGodisanactof faith. Butinduetime,ourfaithwillshifttosight. OurfaithsaysthatJesusisbeyondourtroubles, beyondthispandemicaswellasallourdistresses. Ourfaithremindsusthatwewillbepersecuted, struck down, but in due season we will reap if we faint not. Most of us do not have anything to holdonto butourfaith. Yetsomehowwemustrealizethatthetrialsandtribulationsofourlives willsoonend.
Please know that when there is change, there will always be a time to make a shift. We cannot change without making a shift to a different location, a different mindset, a different position,adifferentposture,adifferentdirectionorevenadifferentdimensionorelevation. When there is a shift, it actually determines the quality as well as the time for the change. The shift createsthetransitionfromtheoldpracticetothenewpractice. Theshiftisameansof
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determining the time to change. When there is no shift, there will be no change. We can discuss orplanchange,butifthereisnoshift,changedoesnotoccur.
Whether we have come to understand or accept the conditions or circumstances that are beforeusornot,itiswithoutquestionthatweareconfrontedwithaneedtomakesomeshifts. We cannot remainas weareorinthesamegearwehavebeenoperatinginfor thepast 100yearsand groworevendevelopintowhatGodhasdesignedforustobecomeunlessthereisashift.
Listen – oursociety has changed (whether for the good or the bad). We can no longer do what wehave always doneor evenbe whatwehave always been. It is time for ashift. Many of the people we are attempting to serve have shifted. The methods of doing ministry have shifted. The religious culture of our day has shifted, the doctrines and teachings of our faith have been challenged and are shifting. And as a result of the change as well as shifts, the Christian church findsherselfbewildered,fracturedandinamodeofsurvivalandmaintenance.
Itisinterestingtonotethateverythingaboutthefaithcommunityhasshifted,hermethods, hermembers,herministries,herministersaswellashermovementhaschangedbutnotnecessarily transformed. Yet, God has not changed or shifted. He is the same today as well as He was yesterday. He is the same because He is our Example, our Model, our Guide or even more our Patterntofollow. ThemissionandministryforwhichHehascalledushasnotchangedorshifted. ApostlePaulrecordsin2Corinthians13:5,“Examine yourselves, to
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see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves, or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – Unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test.”
Unfortunately, we have operated in the same gear so long, perhaps it is difficult for us to understandthatweshouldbetransformingintothelikenessofGod. Asaresult,wearestillinthe same place or weare declining. Ourlot is not just to change,but to transform, evolve or make a thorough change in our appearance, our personality and our thinking that we will resemble our God andourCreator. We havebeen called to engage ourselves in thecreation ofnew and better people;newandbettercommunities;newandbetterministriesasweexpandthekingdomofGod. TheshiftswemakeasthepeopleofGodaredesignedtocreateanewculturethatisgodly,radical, transformative, embracing but redemptive, challenging, but victorious, mesmerizing and revealing. Please know that it is time to make the shift from apprehension to comprehension, from disbelief to belief; from criticizing and complaining to compliance; from struggling doing the possible to doing theimpossible. It is time to maketheshift and transition into doing the will of God. “Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best.”
Beamsofheaven,asIgo, Throughthiswildernessbelow, Guidemyfeetinpeacefulways, Turnmymid-nightsintodays; WheninthedarknessIwouldgrope, Faithalwaysseesastar ofhope, Andsoonfrom alllife’sgriefanddanger, Ishallbefreesomeday. Idonotknowhowlong‘twillbe, Norwhatthefutureholdsforme.
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ButthisIknow,ifJesusleadsme, Ishallgethomesomeday.
Bishop Kenneth Monroe is Presiding Bishop of the Eastern North Carolina District of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
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PioneerinCancerResearch,RoleModelforAfricanAmericanYoung Women,Dr.JaneCookeWright
GloriaBrown,PhD
HaveyouheardofDr.JaneCookeWright? Thatthequestionislikelytoreceiveanegative answerelicitsincredible sadness. TherearesomeotherAfricanAmericanscientistswho,ifnot householdnames,arewell-known. Andtheytendtobemen. Dr.JaneCookeWrightisnoless worthyofwideacclaim.
ABarrier-BreakingMedicalFamily
So,whoisJaneCookeWright? Shewasaneminentpioneerincancerresearchandasurgeon. Shewasbornintoabarrier-breakingmedicalfamily,thedaughterandgranddaughterof outstandingphysicians. Herfather,LouisTompkinsWright,wasthefirstAfricanAmerican doctoratapublichospitalandoneofthefirstAfricanAmericangraduatesfromHarvard MedicalSchool. Hergrandfather,CeanKetchamWright,bornintoslavery,enteredBencake MedicalCollege(whichbecameMeharryMedicalCollege)afterthecivilwarandgraduatedas valedictorian. Afterhedied,sheacquiredastep-grandfatherwhenhermothermarriedanother physician,WilliamFletcherPenn,thefirstAfricanAmericangraduateofYaleMedicalCollege. Anuncle,HaroldWest,wasalsoaphysicianandhebecamepresidentofMeharryMedical College. Heryoungersister,BarbaraWrightPiercewasalsoaphysician. CookeWrightmarried theeminentattorney,DavidJones,Jr.,aHarvard LawSchoolgraduateandtogethertheyhadtwo
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daughters,JaneandAllison. Shetooka6-monthleavefromHarlemHospitalwhileshewas chiefresidentforthebirthofherfirstdaughter,Jane. Herstatedlifegoals were“tocontinue seekingacureforcancer,tobeagoodmothertomychildren,andagoodwifetomyhusband.1 Sadly,shewaswidowedin1976uponthedeathofherhusband.
Education
Dr.JaneCookeWrightwasbornonNovember20,1919,inManhattan,NYanddiedon February19,2013,afteralifeofserviceasacancerresearcher,apracticingphysician,amentor tootheroncologistsandapublicservant. HerearlyeducationwasattheEthicalCulture FieldstonSchoolwhereshewashighlyactive. Heractivitiesincludedbeingtheschool’s yearbookarteditorandcaptainoftheswimteam. Herfavoritesubjectsweremathematicsand scienceandwhenshegraduatedin1938sheenteredSmithCollegeonascholarship,intendingto majorinthearts. ShehadapassionfortheGermanlanguageandlivedfor awhileinthe school’sGermanHouse. Shealsocontinuedswimmingasamemberonthevarsityswimteam. Herfather,however,encouragedhertoenterthemedicalfieldandsouponhergraduationin 1942sheenteredNew YorkMedicalSchool,alsoonscholarship. Upongraduationin1945,she immediatelybeganinternshipatBellevueHospital,transitioningtoaresidencyprogramthe followingyear. In1945shegraduatedwithhonorsfromthe4-yearprograminthreeyears–this wasbecauseofWorldWarII–andimmediatelyenteredaninternship/residencyprogramat BellevueHospital,completingitin1946. ShewentontoaresidencyprogramatHarlem Hospitalfrom1947to1948,attheendofwhichshewasnamedchiefresidence.
MedicalCareer
InJanuary1949,whileshecontinuedasavisitingphysicianatHarlemHospital,Dr.Cooke WrightwashiredasastaffphysicianwiththeNewYorkPublicSchools,nodoubtinspiredby hermother,Corinne,whohadbeenapublic-schoolteacher. InJulyofthatyear,shejoinedher fatherathisHarlemHospitalCancerResearchCenterwhichhehadfounded,anduponhisdeath in1552,shesucceededhimasdirector. In1955Dr.CookeWrightbecameassociateprofessor ofsurgicalresearchatNewYorkUniversityanddirectorofcancerchemotherapyresearchat 1 https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wright-33629
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NewYorkUniversityMedicalCenteranditsaffiliatedBellevueandUniversityHospitals. In 1967shewasnamedprofessorofsurgeryandbecameheadoftheCancerChemotherapy DepartmentandassociatedeanatNewYorkMedicalCollege,heralmamater. Uponher retirementfromNewYorkMedicalin1987,shewasappointedProfessorEmerita.
Trail-BlazingCancerResearcher
Dr.CookeWrighthasbeencalledthe“godmotherofchemotherapy.” Sheandherfatherwere interestedinmakingchemotherapyamoreaccessiblemethodofcancertreatmentforeveryone. Atthetimechemotherapywasanewdevelopmentwhichwasnotawell-knownorwellpracticedsource fortreatment. Thiswaslargelyduetothefactthattheavailabledrugsand dosageswerenotverywelldefinedanddrugdevelopmentforthisapproachwasstillin experimentalstage. Thus,itwasconsideredthe“lastresort”oftreatmentoptions. Shewas determinedthatherresearchhaveanimpactinclinicalcare. Theirworkshiftedcancerresearch andtreatmentdevelopmentbyprovingthattumorcellscouldbestudiedinalaboratory,outside ofthehumanbody. Theclinicaltrialstheyconducteddemonstratedthepowerofchemotherapy intargetingcancerandredefinedchemotherapy,whichshecalledthe“Cinderellaofcancer research,”fromasingledrugtocombinationtherapy. Combinationtherapyistheprocedureof administeringmultiplemedicationsinapreciseorder. Thiswasanovelapproachonthepartof Wrightandhercolleaguessincepreviousresearchersusedmicetumorsasthemodelfor predictingresponsetodifferentchemotherapeutics. Thisapproachhelpedtodevelopamethod fortestingandselectingthemosteffectivecourseofchemotherapyforaparticulartumorinan individualpatient. Theprocessinvolvedharvestingtumortissuefromthepatient,whichisthen culturedandtreatedwithavarietyofchemotherapeuticagents. Thetreatmentisthenadjusted accordingtotheindividualandtheresponseassessed. Thesewereearlystepstowards personalizedmedicine.
FoundationaltotheresearchofDr.CookeWrightandhercolleaguesistheknowledgethatcells requirefolicacidtoproducecertaintypesofaminoacids(forproteins)and purines(for DNA andRNA). Folicacidantagonistsblockthefunctionoffolicacidinthebodyandprevent cells frommakingnewstrandsofDNAandRNA. Theresultisthatcellsarenot abletoproducethe
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proteinsthatareneededtodrivemitosis(celldivision.) Folicacidantagonistsaffectbothcancer andnon-cancercells. However,becausecancercellsaremorehighlyproliferativecomparedto theothercells,theyaremoregreatlyaffectedbyfolicacidantagonists. Unabletorepair,they die.
Variousdrugswereinvestigatedbytheteamandantifolateswerefoundtobehighlypotent againstavastarrayofsolidtumors,includingseveraltypesofleukemia,Hodgkin’sdisease, lymphosarcoma,melanoma,breastcancer,andprostatecancer. Ofallantifolates,folicacid antagonistsareprobablythemostimportant,andthemostsuccessfulfolicacidantagonistswas identifiedasmethotrexate. Methotrexateremainsabasisforallmodernchemotherapy,thoughit isnolongerrecommendedforprostatecancerbecauseithasbeenassociatedwithoccurrence and/oracceleratedprogression apreviouslyindolentprostatecancer, possiblybyinducing immunosuppression.2 Outsideofcancerandinlowerdoses, methotrexateisnowroutinelyused asadisease-modifyingantirheumaticdrug(DMARD).
LegacyinScience,MedicineandBeyond
Dr.JaneCookeWrightleavesanimpressivescientificlegacyinmedicalresearchandpractice, aswellasapublicservant,nationallyandinternationally. Shehasbeencalledthe“motherof chemotherapy”andisrecognizedas“thewomanwhochangedthelandscapeofoncology.” Her creditsincludedevelopinganonsurgicalprocedurefordeliveringchemotherapytotargettumors inpreviouslyinaccessibleareas,suchasthekidneyandthespleen,usingacatheter. Her40-year careerestablishedalegacyofinnovation,changingthefaceofchemotherapyandmedicine. Her publishedresearcharticlesandpapersoncancerchemotherapynumber135. Sheintroduced methotrexate,stillusedinthetreatmentofmanytypesofcancer. TheAmericanSocietyof ClinicalOncologyrenamedtheirYoungInvestigatorAwardinherhonor. Sheherselfreceived multipleawardsoverherlifetime. Consistentwiththemissionofmakingcancertreatment widelyavailabletoeveryone,sheleddelegationsofcancerresearchersoutsidetheUnitedStates toAfrica,China,EasternEuropeandtheformerSovietUnion.
WhilepursuingprivateresearchattheNewYorkMedicalCollege,Dr.JaneCookeWright implementedtwoprograms: anewcomprehensiveprogramtostudystroke,heartdiseases,and
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2
Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice 20(2) May 2013
cancer:andaprogramtoinstructdoctorsinchemotherapy. Alongwithsixotheroncologists,all whitemales,shefoundedtheAmericanSocietyofClinicalOncologytoeducatedoctorsand provideresearchgrants. In1964shewasappointmentbyPresidentLyndonB.Johnsontothe President’sCommissiononHeartDisease,Cancer,andStrokeandfrom1966to1970sheserved ontheNationalCancerAdvisoryBoard. ThepurposeoftheBoardwastoestablishanational networkoftreatmentcentersforcriticalcancerdiseasesandtopromoteincreased communicationbetweenresearchinstitutes.
FirstLady
Thetitleof“FirstLady”isanappropriateappellationforthisladyofmany firsts. Thelist includesthefollowing:
• Firstoftwodaughtersinabarrier-breakingfamilytopursuemedicineduringanera where womenandAfricanAmericansfacedpervasivediscrimination.
• FirstBlackwomantobenamedassociatedeanofanationallyrecognizedmedical institution(NewYorkMedicalCollege,1967).
• FirstBlackoncologist.
• Pioneereduseofthedrugmethotrexatetotreatbreast,skincancer.
• Herresearchgroupswerefirsttoreporttheuseofnitrogenmustardagentsandfolicacid antagonists(blocker)ascancertreatments.
• Highest-rankedAfricanAmericanwomanatanationallyrecognizedmedicalinstitution (1967).
• OnlyBlackmemberoftheAmericanSocietyofClinicalOncology,whichaimedto educatedoctorsandprovideresearchgrants.
• FirstwomanpresidentoftheNewYorkCancerSociety(1971).
• OnlywomanandonlyAfricanAmericanontheboardoftheAmericanSocietyof ClinicalOncology.
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InspiringRoleModel
Withoutadoubt,Dr.JaneCookeWrightisasignificantrolemodelforfemaleminoritiesand especiallyfemaleAfrican-Americans. Sheovercamebothgenderandracialbiases,succeeding inalargelywhitemaleprofession. Undeterredbytheprevailingviewofmanyphysicianswho disregardedchemotherapyasbeingineffective–atthetime,theuseofchemicalagentsas therapeuticswasanemergingcancertreatmentthatwasridiculed–sheultimatelyprovedits effectivenessandwideapplication. Asafamilywoman,evenwhenshebecameasinglemother, shecontinuedtopursueasuccessfulcareer.
Dr. Gloria Brown is adjunct in the Central Connecticut State University, Department of Chemistry.
BiographicalSources
https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/jax-blog/2016/november/women-in-science-janewright
https://www.nymc.edu/school-of-medicine-som/som-alumni-profiles/alumni-inmemorium/jane-cookewright/#:~:text=Jane%20Cooke%20Wright%2C%20M.D.%20'45%2C%20was%20the% 20first%20African,at%20a%20U.S.%20medical%20school
https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_336.html
https://mbb.yale.edu/news/celebrating-black-history-month-jane-cooke-wright
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/health/jane-c-wright-pioneering-oncologist-dies-at93.html
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/wright-jane-cooke-1919/
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-andmaps/wright-jane-cooke
https://glazerlab.as.uky.edu/dr-jane-cooke-wright
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Somephotosfromthelistedsites
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https://massivesci.com/articles/meet-the-woman-who-changed-how-we-treat-cancer/
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