Laura Esfeller: If you had told me I’d spend my 30s working on clinical research and trials, I never would have believed you

Laura Esfeller, Director of Marketing Services at San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, shared on LinkedIn:

“Just got back from another incredible SWOG Cancer Research Network Fall Meeting. Every meeting I attend, I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to be able to give back to people who literally saved my life by running the clinical trial I joined in 2016.

This meeting, The Hope Foundation for Cancer Research celebrated its 30th anniversary and humbled me by sharing my story as part of their celebration. It was poignant considering I also said goodbye to my sweet friend and fellow HLRCC patient Kelly O’Leary this past week.

My incredible advanced renal committee chair, Dr. Ulka Vaishampayan, graciously allowed me to start yesterday’s genitourinary meeting with a tribute I wrote to Kelly. Our committee presented a status update on PAPMET2, the trial for metastatic papillary kidney cancer that is the follow up to the trial I was on, along with a concept I’m supporting one of our researchers on for advanced clear cell kidney cancer. Plus, I got to connect in person with an early-career investigator at City of Hope who I’m supporting on a proposal to American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

I am so incredibly grateful to work with such phenomenal clinicians, surgeons, medical researchers and patient advocates, and to call them friends. It’s evident the oncologists and urologists I work with value and respect our perspectives as patient advocates, and that’s so meaningful to me.

If you had told me I’d spend my 30s working on clinical research and trials, I never would have believed you. I would have definitely preferred an easier path to get here, but I honestly believe the work we do at SWOG is changing cancer care for the next generation.

Next stop: Kidney Cancer Association’s International Kidney Cancer Symposium! ”

Source: Laura Esfeller/ LinkedIn