Sidewalks to Science: Getting to Know Dr. Paula D. Bos, Ph.D. at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

With lab colleagues at VCU

Dedicating her life to finding a cure for breast cancer, Dr. Paula D. Bos is driven to help Komen meet our Bold Goal of reducing the current number of breast cancer deaths in the U.S. by 50% by 2026. As an Assistant Professor of Pathology, she and members of her lab are dedicated to developing new treatment options for breast cancer patients with metastatic brain tumors.

In this month’s Sidewalks to Science blog, we will get to know Dr. Bos a little better.

When I’m not in the lab I…

Enjoy the outdoors with my daughter and husband.
Love reading and baking with my daughter.
Am an enthusiastic follower of my daughter’s soccer team. As a native Argentinian, I am very passionate about soccer.

Family Picture at the beach

What I do…targeting immune cells to treat brain metastases.

Although metastatic breast cancer has spread to another part of the body, it’s still considered and treated as breast cancer. Breast cancer that has spread to the brain is treated with breast cancer drugs, rather than treatments for a cancer that began in the brain. However, treatments that work for the primary breast tumor are often ineffective at treating the metastatic brain tumor. Current treatment strategies for brain metastasis, which include surgery and radiation, only offer some improvements for most patients. Therefore, I want to improve the options available to breast cancer patients that have developed brain metastases.

I am investigating how a type of immune cell called a regulatory T (Treg) cell helps breast cancer cells that have spread to the brain grow and survive. Tregs can be found in primary and metastatic breast tumors and correlate with poor patient prognosis. A normal function for Tregs is controlling immune responses, and researchers have shown these cells have the ability to suppress the immune system response against cancer. With my Komen funding, I’m studying how Treg cells support brain metastases. I’m trying to develop a treatment strategy to disrupt the support of breast cancer cells that have metastasized to the brain that could be used in patients.

Breast cancer…touches the lives of so many.

My aunt is a 12-year breast cancer survivor, and other types of cancers have taken dear family members and friends.

Working with patients…motivates my research strategy.

Through my research, I have met and come to admire an incredible group of advocates. Their strength and tireless efforts to bring awareness and increase funding for breast cancer research are a constant incentive to intensify our research efforts.

Dr. Paula Bos

People with breast cancer should…participate in clinical trials!

With new technologies available, science is progressing at a fast pace. We have seen major improvements in the treatment of cancer, especially with the immune system checkpoint blocking antibodies. Breast cancer has yet seen the benefit seen by other cancers, but several approaches are at the clinical trial stage.

Komen is…about patient advocacy!

I have always been motivated to do research to answer pressing clinical needs, but since I started working with patient advocates a few years ago, I now have a better understanding of where the priorities are. Involving advocates allows us to know we are on the right track to discover something of value to the patient community.

“Research is a challenging, expensive, and time-consuming activity. Knowing that patient advocates agree with the goals of our research is reassuring that we are on the right track to discover something of value.”

You can support Dr. Bos and her research by donating directly to her grant here.

If you or a loved one needs information or resources about clinical trials, call our Clinical Trial Information Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877- 465- 6636) or email clinicaltrialinfo@komen.org.

The helpline offers breast cancer clinical trial education and support, such as:

Knowing when to consider a trial
How to find a trial
How to decide which trial is best
What to expect during a trial
Information about clinical trial resources

Congratulations to the 2018 Philadelphia 3-Day Milestone Award Winner, Ron MacDonald

Please join us in congratulating our 2018 Philadelphia Milestone Award Winner; Ron MacDonald! The Susan G. Komen 3-Day® Milestone Award is given at each event to a walker or crew member who has an outstanding history of participation in the Komen 3-Day. At the Philadelphia 3-Day camp show, we presented Ron with this special honor.

To his family and friends, Ron is the consummate 3-Dayer, filled with love, compassionate and dedication.

His daughter Darcie said, “When I talked my Dad into walking the 3-Day 9 years ago, I had no idea what his journey would look like. Nine walks later, 540 miles (not counting training), thousands of dollars raised, a tattoo on his arm with our team logo saying “NO More Goodbyes.” I can honestly say finding a cure for breast cancer has become a part of who my Dad is. Even now that he is battling his own cancer his determination to walk with all of you is even stronger. My Dad is a hero who’s love and passion to make a difference is contagious. My Dad walks to END breast cancer. He walks for all of you!”

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His grandchild Riley echoed that sense of family pride and love.

“I could not be any prouder of my Grandfather for being the recipient of this award. My Grampy has dedicated so much of his time to help the fight against breast cancer. He supports his teammates who have all become his best friends or as he likes to call them his “girlfriends”. Even in spite of his own discovery of cancer it has never stopped motivating him to fight and help those who can’t. After all his treatments this year all he could talk about is his excitement to walk with his team. My Grampy has never let anything stop him from fulfilling his goal of making a difference and walking 60 miles. My Grampy is a superhero. I am so lucky and honored to walk 60 miles by his side.”

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Teammate Suzanne Higgins described what it’s like walking alongside Ron as one full of kindness and laughter. He is “the rock” of their team, and she is proud to call him her friend.

“Ron is the beating male heart of our team. Literally, he’s the only man and he treats us and cares for us as though we were his own daughters.

Ron embodies “Milestone” – he literally puts down his head and pounds out the 60 “miles” like nobody’s business *and* he is the “stone/rock” of our team! […]

Above all, Ron has the biggest, most generous heart. He is fully committed to our team, No More Goodbyes…his pink daughters. And, we love him as the father of our team…our beloved 3-Day Dad.

Teammate Janet Daley said Ron is “a true team player! Whenever any one of us was low on funds he would share his donations with the team. He never wanted his girls to not be able to walk with him.”

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Kristina Libby talked about his speed as well as his generosity, and says upon meeting him 9 years go, she was instantly shocked to witness a gentle giant walk so fast.”

Another one of his teammates, Deb Margolis seconded that sentiment, promising that Ron will almost always be at the front of the line. But she says he also never complains. You will “see him with a big smile on his face and hear him by his loud laugh.”

Kristina probably summed him up best when she said, “Ron is a dad, granddad, husband and a fantastic teammate. Everything he does he does with passion. He is determined to find a cure for cancer. For himself, for me, and for all the other men and women who have fought this battle. Ron means the world to me because we mean the world to Ron.”

After all of these amazing expressions of support, we then had to hear from Ron in his own words!

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What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day???

My daughter! She walked and wanted me to walk with her. Unfortunately, I was extremely overweight bracket (350 lbs) and couldn’t do it. She inspired me to lose weight – 175 pounds! That provided me with the inspiration to do the walk.

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?

Mainly the team of girls, No More Goodbyes! They have instilled in me how important the cause is and also the bonding I’ve developed with the team over the past nine years

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?

A strong sincere letter/email explaining what the 3-Day is what the donations are used for. Our team has raised approximately $500,000 over the past years 10 years.

I also remind potential donors that I am a CPA and that all the money that they contribute to the 3-Day is fully deductible.

What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?

Have fun, remember to enjoy the experience, pray for no rain and few hills.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?

In spite of the blisters and aching muscles one endures during the walk, it pales in comparison to what those effected with breast cancer experience.

Congratulations to the 2018 Philadelphia 3-Day Local Impact Award Winner, Dawn Kifer

For the 2018 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® season, we’re pleased to be continuing the Local Impact Award. This award is being given to participants who have been instrumental in strengthening the 3-Day® community throughout the year. Local Impact Award honorees have gone above and beyond in their efforts leading training walks, attending 3-Day community events, supporting the 3-Day staff year-round at meet-ups and workshops, and in general, making a difference by building lasting relationships and showing commitment to the 3-Day in all they do.

Please join us in congratulating the 2018 Philadelphia 3-Day Local Impact Award Winner, Dawn Kifer.

Her friends and family know how much the 3-Day means to Dawn

Jennifer Marandino says, “As a previous training walk leader I know the commitment it requires. Dawn has tremendously dedicated her time and energy serving as a training walk leader to those in the southern New Jersey area for several years.

As a training walk leader, Dawn makes new and veteran walkers feel welcome, preparing them for the 3-Day, providing sound advice and words of wisdom. I am proud to call Dawn a teammate and dear friend. I can always count on her to be my sounding board, my voice of reason, and my calm among the drama.”

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In addition, Laurie Pino raves about Dawn!

“I met Dawn 2 years ago as I was preparing for my first 3-Day walk in Philadelphia. She greeted me with a warm smile and guided me through my first long training walk. Since then, we have worked closely on fundraisers, continue training walks together, share co-captain responsibilities for our team of 12, and most importantly laughs with me throughout it all! She is always available to answer our questions and offer advice. I am truly blessed to have met such a wonderful teammate and friend! She is very deserving of this award!”

With such high praise, we just had to hear from Dawn herself. When she answered these questions, she didn’t know she was going to be our Local Impact winner!

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What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day???

In January of 2011, a friend of mine had said she was going to do the 3-Day, my response was, “Okay, I will too”. My aunt is a survivor, and I had friends and co-workers that were also survivors.

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?

To be perfectly honest, when I signed up that first time, I figured it would be a one and done thing. Boy was I wrong! When I walked that first year, it became clear that this was a journey that had changed my life. The support I saw from the communities where we walked and the number of people walking certainly had an impact but actually getting to know the people I was walking with and the people I was walking for, made me realize that this is something that I just can’t walk away from.

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?

Don’t be afraid to ask…People will give from their heart and they will give what they can. Just remember that no amount is too little.

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What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?

The 3-Day gives us a training schedule to follow. It’s great if you can follow that, but realistically, life happens, so it’s important to train when you can. I would say that it’s important to do at least one big back-to-back weekend (18/13 or 18/15 miles in one weekend) just so you can see how your body will feel. Also be sure to train in what you intend to wear on event (tops, pants/shorts, socks, sneakers, underwear, sports bra, back pack/fanny pack). If you’re not comfortable for 3 miles, 10 miles, 18 miles, you’re definitely not going to be comfortable for 20+ plus miles. Also, be sure to listen to your body. If you feel like you just can’t go on, get on a sweep van. That’s what they’re there for. Last but not least, be sure to hydrate! This is something that can not be stressed enough. You should have water and some type of drink with electrolytes.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?

Breast cancer does not discriminate, it doesn’t care if you old or young, male or female, and it doesn’t care that you’ve already battled it before, it will come after you again and again. We are have to be stronger that it, we have to continue to fight it and stop it. We will continue this journey until we bring an end to breast cancer.

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