Living Well

Health

70th birthday, I requested that my
friends donate to the Miller Family
Endowment Fund for Cancer
Research instead of buying gifts.
"We didn't ask for . the cards that
fate dealt us, but after the initial
shock of the rwo cancers, we just got
angry and decided to fight back. And
working with the Weizmann office
here has been a rewarding experi-
ence."
She wrote her own letter telling of
the family's experiences, which was
circulated in Jewish communities,
eliciting many responses. The fifth-
grade Hebrew class at Temple Beth El
in Utica, N.Y., even sent S56.70 to
Weizmann on her behalf.
Dorie and Bruce Miller, Weizmann Institute of Science dinner honorees.
The Millers have been married for
51 years; they have another daughter,
look for cures — and there's no limit
A Colorado woman became the first
Amy Weinstein of Birmingham, and
to creativity."
person to participate in clinical tests
seven grandchildren. Bruce Miller is
Professor Bayer, 54, echoes those
for a spinal cord injury. She received
CEO of the Miller Parking Co.,
sentiments. He grew up in the
autologous-activated macrophage ther-
founded by his father, Nathan, in
Detroit area and graduated from
apy, using her own white blood cells
1961, now operating parking loca-
Birmingham Groves High School. He
to regenerate her severed spinal cord
tions throughout the Detroit area.
Fighting
Cancer
has a degree in zoology from the
nerves. Her story was featured on 48
Dr. Oster, 65, a rehabilitation spe-
Bruce and Dorie Miller got excited
University of Michigan, a master's
Hours, the CBS television news-
cialist with offices in Southfield, is a
about
the
work
at
degree in bio-
magazine, as her family borrowed
perfect example of people who benefit
Weizmann after
chemistry from
$90,000 to send her to Israel within
from the type of research done by sci-
their family
Wayne State
two weeks of her injury in an auto
entists
like Bayer at Weizmann and
received a double
University and a
accident — the "window" within
the
fund-raising
efforts of the Millers
blow. In the past
doctorate in bio-
which the treatment must be given.
and others.
12
years,
their
son
physics from
Thanks to a Weizmann discovery of
Afflicted with MS since his 30s, he
Jim's wife, Arleen
Weizmann,
a key mechanism underlying human
began a "blind" trial study then, with
Miller
of
which also has a
stem cell migration, bone marrow
some patients taking Copaxone, a
Huntington
school for gradu-
transplants have' been improved.
drug developed at Weizmann, and
Woods, then their
ate study.
Researchers at the institute developed
others a placebo. He's been getting a
daughter, Janet
"It's gratifying
an effective treatment, administered
daily injection of Copaxone ever
Stein of West
to do research at
through the nose, for a myasthenia
since, helping him to be fully func-
Bloomfield,
were
Weizmann
gravis-like disease in rats, which may
tional. Copaxone also improves the
diagnosed
with
because I can
serve as a basis for treating the disease
eyesight of people with chronic glau-
breast
cancer
at
work on my own
in humans. Myasthenia gravis is an
coma.
ages
36
and
46,
ideas of basic sci-
auto-immune disease of the muscles.
"Copaxone is extremely effective
respectively.
ence. I'm free to
In addition, a compound called
and
has controlled by MS complete-
Their cancers are
do what I want
galanthamine, made from the com-
ly,"
said Dr. Oster, "and there are no
in remission after
— and every-
Weizmann Professor Ed Bayer
mon snowdrop plant, may be used in
debilitating effects. I'm able to get
chemotherapy
and
thing I do is very
future Alzheimer's-fighting drugs to
around easily and do everything in
radiation. Both
much appreciated,"
weed out brain-disrupting chemicals
my work and private life."
women
wanted
donations
made
to
said Bayer. "I probably could be earn-
and reinvigorate nerve impulses, thus
Using only a cane to aid walking,
cancer
research
in
general,
but
the
ing more money in the private sector,
increasing brain activity — all based
he and his wife, Terry, travel exten-
Weizmann
institute
caught
the
eye
of
but that's not important to me."
on Weizmann research.
sively around the world and he has
Dorie Miller.
His wife, whom he met in Israel, is
visited Weizmann 10 times in trips to
"I read a letter from a family whose
an accountant and they have five sons
Israel, serving on the national board.
daughter's MS condition was helped
and daughters, all of whom have
Extensive Research
"I've always been an ardent sup-
by research at Weizmann and it
served in the Israeli Army. His moth-
"The Weizmann institute does the
porter of Weizmann," he said. "To
inspired
us,"
said
Dorie
Miller.
"Our
er, Adele, lives in West Bloomfield.
basic research, not the clinical trials,
keep developing innovative drugs like
family decided to embrace the insti-
Bayer has done extensive research on
and research is never glamorous,"
Copaxone, they need the fund-raising
tute
and
make
significant
contribu-
several biological processes and proj-
Ruby said, "but the work of the
assistance of everyone in the Jewish
tions for cancer research and help
ects with environmental implications.
researchers is vital before any of the
community."
raise funds from other people. On my
The compensation of scientists is
clinical trials can be performed. And
limited by the Israeli government,
the clinical workers often get most of
Bruce and Dorie Miller will be honored by the American Committee for the
according to Ruby, but the govern-
the credit for the ultimate success of a
Weizmann Institute of Science's Michigan Region at a "gala celebration" at
ment also provides almost half of the
project."
6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dearborn. Actor Joe
institute's source of income, followed
Ruby said she feels it's more presti-
Bologna will be master of ceremonies and his wife, actress Renee Taylor, will
by research grants, donations and
gious for scientists to work at the
entertain with "An Evening with Golda Meir." Tickets are $250 per person.
bequests and miscellaneous other rev-
institute because they have the "free-
(248) 258-9890.
enues. The American Committee for
dom to think and work creatively and

the Weizmann Institute of Science
raised about $57 million for the insti-
tute last year, though various individ-
ual contributions and such events as
the Sept. 10 gala celebration.
"We also have an outreach pro-
crram taking Americans on missions
to Israel to see the institute and hope-
fully
aet interested in the work there,"
, get
said Ruby, "and we bring some scien-
tists here to visit homes of leaders in
the Jewish community and help raise
funds."
Born in Israel, Ruby has a doctorate
in medical microbiology and was an
Oakland University professor and an
Israel Bonds executive before joining
Weizmann seven years ago. "I love
science and now my job is to excite
people about the scientific research at
the institute and explain to everyone
else how they can help us," she
added.

❑

8/31
2001

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