Herbie’s Law

Not long ago, Herbie, one of my best friends got some news: "The mole on your back is melanoma."  That day, I called M.D. Anderson, spoke to the best expert on melanoma in the United States, and asked what we can do.  Herbie, his brother and I flew to Houston within days and surgeons took out the mole, a lymph node and surrounding tissue.

We had a banquet that night to celebrate. 

After that, Herbie went to the doctor every 6 months.  Herbie had many friends.  He had a wonderful son and wife.  He wanted to watch his son play college football.  He wanted to fish and camp in the Gila with all the rest of us.  He wanted to drink some wine (and maybe a tequila or two) on his back porch and listen to 'Corrida de Chihuahua.'

Herbie wanted to live.  He dutifully reported for his checkups and did everything the doctor said.

Within 18 months, Herbie went for his last checkup.  He got the news every family dreads:  "Your cancer has spread."  In December, 2005, just a few scant months after his first visit, Herbie was dead.

Every one of us works on hope.  As a great state in a great country, why can't Texas lead the fight to cure cancer?  Well, this session, Rick Perry announced that goal.  On this one, Rick Perry is exactly right. Today, I joined my friend, Jane Nelson, and nearly every member of the Texas Senate to co-author S.B. 1292 to develop the world's leading cancer research consortium, the Cancer Research Institute of Texas.

While California, New Jersey and other states have directed money to stem cell research, this consortium will direct talent, resources and leadership to solving one of the major public health issues of our time—conquering cancer. 

Under this bill, Texas will sell bonds to invest $3 billion in cancer research.  Our state, with key centers at M.D. Anderson, the Texas Children's Cancer Center and UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, will become the epicenter of cancer research.

And maybe one day, when any of us gets the news, we can say, "We'll beat it—for sure."

For me, S.B. 1292 is “Herbie's Law."  

Keep the Faith!