Greetings!

It is with great sadness that I must report that, on Sunday February 13, 2011 at 5:47 PM, my father Larry Alten died after a courageous battle with cancer. Dad was 76 years old, healthy and active, until two months ago when a nagging cough revealed itself as stage 4 melanoma, infecting his right lung and liver. Over the weeks his weight dropped as a tumor pressed against his stomach and a virus made it near impossible to swallow. He was treated at Penn with Gleevax, a form of chemo, but it turned out he did not possess the genetic marker Gleevax can treat. Our back-up plan was an amazing new immunology therapy using high doses of white cells donated from healthy 20 year olds matched with his blood type. These infusions (4 in two weeks) would have killed every cancer cell in his body. Click Here to learn moreTragically, sadly, Dad was two weeks away from this therapy when he was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday night, 2/9 struggling to breathe. He recovered a bit Thursday, then grew weaker. Dad fought like a bull. His heart, unaffected by the cancer that covered his right lung and liver simply refused to quit. His fight was agonizing to watch. I know he is at peace, but a wonderful man died far too young, all because of a damn melanoma removed from his cheek three years ago which stayed dormant until his weakened immune system let it sprout.

No human being should have to die like this, especially not a saint of a man like my father. In the coming weeks I am going to work with Dr. Maharaj to establish a fund in my father's name to raise the $5 million he needs to complete his clinical tests on 29 cancer patients with tumors. I am absolutely convinced Dr. Maharaj would have saved Dad's life and will save the lives of millions one day with his new immunotherapy approach, once the clinical study can be completed. Click Here to learn more As a private cancer institute, Dr. Maharaj must self-fund his therapies, meaning his patients must pay their own way. My father had the money, unfortunately he passed before he could receive the treatment. I am determined to prevent others from suffering as he did. The cure for cancer is here, only this financial hurdle remains.