Dear Friend,

My wife and I were in our thirties, the parents of three children under the age of nine, when Susan found a red spot on her breast. It was assessed as triple negative breast cancer—a particularly virulent form of the disease. Like all newly diagnosed cancer patients, we were thrust into a frightening new world—one we had not chosen and one in which we felt we did not belong.

The journey from that day on has not been easy or smooth. Little did I know at the time that Susan and I would face the cancer diagnosis again and again—with Susan being diagnosed with five different types of cancer in the next 30 years.

We saw firsthand how managing cancer symptoms and treatment side effects like pain and peripheral neuropathy, dealing with the financial effects, and dealing with key issues like fear, hope, and spirituality were not often addressed by her treatment providers.

That’s why in my role with the Samueli Foundation, I have brought together leaders in oncology to forge a better path forward for patients. The series of resources and pocket guides within this email are part of that effort. More to come in the months and year ahead, but for now, I hope you will share these widely with those you love. Cancer will soon be the number one cause of death in the country and has affected nearly every family I’ve ever treated, so we need this information now more than ever.

Be well.