RUSH: Here’s the number I want you to write down. This is the number to call to donate to cure leukemia and lymphoma. It’s toll free, 877-379-8888. Just write this down. I’m gonna be reminding you during the course of the program. 877-379-8888. Or you can donate online at RushLimbaugh.com and have no fear of the security of donating online. We, nor the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will sell or share your information to any other organization that will then solicit you. You have my guarantee, my personal guarantee, which is worth a lot, and I don’t offer it very much, but I do here. Your information will be safe and secure, and in the recent years, I guess the vast majority of our contributions have come from online.
Now, we rededicate ourselves to the cause of fighting blood cancers today. This is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Cure-A-Thon today, a special day here at the EIB Network. Twenty years ago this program participated in its first Cure-A-Thon, and since that day you have answered with millions and millions of dollars. We ran the numbers, we are averaging — the way this works, we have three-hour program one day of the year that we devote to the Cure-A-Thon, and of that three hours we figure that a total maybe of 45 minutes to an hour is devoted to the Cure-A-Thon, because we also do the radio program. We don’t broom the program and go wall-to-wall Cure-A-Thon. We have raised $25 million in 20 years. Basically we were averaging more than a million dollars from you per hour, over $25 million over 20 years with basically an hour a year. That’s how marvelous all of you are. Every year we’ve topped the previous year’s level, despite tax increases, despite recessions, despite 9/11, despite donor fatigue with Hurricane Katrina. Even last year, in the midst of this latest recession — uh, sorry, jobless recovery, using the regime’s terminology — even last year in the midst of this economic downturn, we broke the previous year’s record. Now, one of the reasons I know you’ve continued to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is because it works and is working beyond what you or I could imagine when we started this.
Let me briefly give you the history of how this all came about. Twenty years ago, it was basically my first year, maybe second year, and we were doing the program out of WABC in New York and I had my own studio there in the corner, and when the Cure-A-Thon day came around it was all the ABC O&O stations, owned and operated — San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, Washington, New York, and they were brooming their whole broadcast day to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma. I was a syndicated program on from noon to three and they tiptoed into my studio, ‘We got a toll-free number, would you mind giving the toll-free number to your audience? You don’t have to broom the whole show, we know you don’t do that, but could you just mention it?’ I said, ‘Sure, I would be happy to.’ The upshot of it is — and this is simply a numbers game — the upshot of it is that the Cure-A-Thon is now here exclusively, that’s how large it got. It’s not to diminish the other ABC stations. They still participate. It’s just this has replaced the O&O-wide fundraising effort because you all have just been so magnificent.
As I say, regardless of economic circumstances or cultural circumstances you have always beat the previous year, and that’s because the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is working. Over the years you’ve heard us talk about treatments, technologies, therapies developed on your watch in the last 20 years, the progress is amazing. It’s all the result of your generosity and the work of dedicated people that have given victims of these diseases outcomes that they couldn’t even imagine. Every year I’m struck by the number of people I know or know of who, in their sixties and seventies, contract one of these blood cancers. A very close friend of ours just a month ago informed me of such a circumstance. It never ceases to make an impact on all of us when we learn this disease is striking. It strikes children, too, as you well know. Now, the success in beating back the blood cancers, while it’s remarkable, every year 138,000 new cases of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, strike people in the country. One person dies from the disease every ten minutes. So that’s 52,000 people a year lost to these diseases. Right now 900,000 patients are fighting back against the blood cancers, these killers right now, and we are here to help them.
When you look at the progress that we have made in the last 20 years, you just don’t want to quit. We look forward to it each and every year. We look forward to sharing the experience with all of you and giving all of you an opportunity once again to demonstrate the true, genuine compassion and charity that you in this audience have. Leukemia is still the biggest killer among children and young adults. Long-term survival rates are now at an astonishing 88%. They were nowhere near that 20 years ago when we started. Lymphoma just as deadly for young adults, but long-term survival rates there are 86%. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma affects 430,000 people a year. Long-term survival rates now apply to 65% of them. So major progress is being made, you contribute, you donate because you know that it’s working.
The number is 877-379-8888 or you can visit RushLimbaugh.com to donate online. As always we have premiums. And I remind you, your information will not be shared with any other charities or business organizations, marketers or anybody. You’re not going to be contacted by anybody else because of your participation in today’s Cure-A-Thon. So for 70 bucks you will get a special edition EIB T-shirt with the Golden EIB Microphone radiating brilliantly on the front. It’s a one-size-fits-all shirt. Trust me, it does. For a $100 donation, special edition EIB T-shirt as well as a premium Rush Limbaugh golf hat. This is a fully adjustable, not with one of these cheap plastic bands across the back, either. Nothing cheap about this. Navy blue. It has a red star and my signature across the front in white. And for $340 you get a high quality ClimaCool type golf shirt. Moisture wicking, quick-dry technology special edition shirt, white with a navy colored EIB logo on the left breast and my signature on the sleeve. Now, these are made to order. You can specify small, medium, large, XL or double XL when you go online. And finally, as always, ladies and gentlemen, I never ask you to do something I haven’t or won’t do myself, and as such, I’m going to make my annual contribution of $250,000 to get us started here as we kick off our 20th anniversary to cure the blood cancers, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Cure-A-Thon is now on, 877-379-8888 or visit RushLimbaugh.com.
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RUSH: This comes under the title of recent progress: Every year there are exciting new advancements in therapies in the fight against the blood cancers. This year is no exception. You were here. You were part of this program when you first heard about the drug Gleevec, which is giving 95% of patients with one of the toughest blood cancers there is, CML, a five-year survival rate. Gleevec also has caused redemption in other forms of leukemia. Well, there’s a new immunotherapy project for the most common form of adult leukemia, CLL. Eventually the cancer cells become immune to treatment. So these cells are extracted, they’re genetically modified to prod the body’s immune system to destroy them and then infused back into the patient. In phase one trials, the first two patients now have no detectable cancer cells eight months later.
This research is due largely to people like you who have funded it and made it possible. Stop and think about it. Phase one trial: The first two patients who have had this new trial have no detectable cancer cells eight months later. Ten more patients are needed to complete phase one trials but these are the same types of amazing results that Gleevec had when it was developed. This is a new frontier in cancer therapy, and like other advances in the flight against blood cancers these breakthroughs can have applications beyond leukemia. You know bone marrow transplants are a direct outgrowth of research into leukemia and lymphoma and the blood cancers, and you know how valuable they are.
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RUSH: The 20th anniversary of our radio Cure-A-Thon as we battle the blood cancers, Leukemia & Lymphoma. We are setting records already. We’re almost up three times just in the first half hour of what we were last year, and last year was a record. This is unbelievable. We’re up almost three times what we were, not counting my starter donation, which is now a pittance compared to what you all have kicked in here in the first half hour. (laugh) 877-379-8888 or go to RushLimbaugh.com to donate. Now, look, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society does more than just fund research. They provide patient family services, support groups, financial aid for the extended treatments. They connect people to specialists for the information they need. The reason why — and this is what struck me about this charity from the first day, from the get-go.
The people that I work with at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, more often than not, have been touched personally, either themselves or members of their family by these blood cancers, their friends. They are doing this out of the goodness of their heart. They’re volunteers, and it’s easy to see why they put so much of their heart into this and on the line. And, of course, the vast, vast majority of donations go to actual research and patient family services. Not to administration. So for one day, we’re raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It’s the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated not only to funding blood cancer research but also education and patient services to people just like you. The work of the society is international. They fund research here and abroad and they are outstanding in all that they do. There are a lot of important, wonderful charities out there, but what I really love about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is that they are advancing every year. The progress they are making on survival rates and new drugs is impressive. Hard work, generosity, of people like you. Thanks to that, we have got blood cancers on defense now. We’re moving the ball each and every year. It’s slow but it is sure. 877-379-8888.
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RUSH: We start with Jennifer in New Hampshire. Nice to have you on the program. Hello.
CALLER: Well, Rush, this is quite a day in my life. I have wanted to speak to you probably for 20 years now.
RUSH: Well, then this is your lucky day and mine, too.
CALLER: I absolutely adore you. I want to thank your wonderful, generous audience, and you’re the heart of it, Rush, it’s your big heart that this is why it’s so successful. Many years ago, let’s see, before — no, this is going to be a really long story. I know you’re a busy man. When I was 27 I was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s disease.
RUSH: Hm-hm.
CALLER: And, well, stage four only because I was just kind of ignorant about health issues, and I was running around with my little daughter, I had a two-year-old, and just ignored some symptoms, and by the time they found it, it was stage four, but being that it was Hodgkin’s I know the reason that the cure rate is so high is because of the wonderful progress that they’ve made. And it was a year out of my life of just doing the chemotherapy and the radiation, and I brought you with me, though, Rush, I want to tell you that, you came with me, I tried to schedule everything around your show, but —
RUSH: Oh, no doubt that was highly contributory to the success of the treatment.
CALLER: (laughing) Absolutely, it kept me positive.
RUSH: Has to be. Has to be.
CALLER: Absolutely. You’re a very positive person and it’s very contagious. And I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about my experience, although of course I would rather have not gotten sick to begin with, but I do believe that all things work for good.
RUSH: That’s right. There is good to be found in everything that happens.
CALLER: Absolutely.
RUSH: How are you doing now?
CALLER: Oh, I’m wonderful. It was a year out of my life. I’m living my life. I even had two more children after that and they told me that wouldn’t be able to happen. I want people to know out there that you’re changing lives of families and future families that maybe wouldn’t be.
RUSH: You know, that’s an excellent point. That does happen. You all in this audience are and have changed lives and it’s rare instances like this when you hear the evidence of it. Most of the time you donate anonymously and you don’t know where the money goes, you trust that it goes to research, you know that it does but you never see the end result of it or hear about it very much. But you can be confident that it happens. There are countless stories just like Jennifer’s here. Again, the phone number if you want to contribute, we know it’s tough economically. I always say every year, with the size of this audience, if everybody just gave a dollar, wow, we would set an all-time record. We figure in every 15 minutes of this program there are 5.2 million, maybe 5.5 million people listening. Over the course of the three hours it’s 12 million, and then when you add up all the non-dupes over the course of the week, which is called a cume, it’s about 20 to 25 million depending on vagaries of ratings books, PPM and so forth. But it’s a large number. If everybody just donated a buck, it would be astounding.
I was asked just a moment ago, ‘Do you expect Vice President Biden to contribute today?’ I doubt it. I’ve been looking at his tax return, there’s not whole lot of charitable giving there. I was asked a question, Snerdley, I’m not trying to impugn anybody here. Well, I don’t know. Gore gave 235 bucks. I think Biden gave a little bit more than that. One percent I think is what Biden donated. Not really sure. 877-379-8888.
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RUSH: Today is also the 20th anniversary of our annual Leukemia & Lymphoma Society radio Cure-A-Thon. Twenty years, over $25 million raised in just one day out of every year, and today is that day. The telephone number to call to donate to cure the blood cancers, 877-379-8888, or you can donate at RushLimbaugh.com. Very easy spot there to see when you log onto our website. And we will get more details.
By the way, one thing about this. It’s stunning. Some would say I shouldn’t say this because it might inspire lack of urgency among the audience, but I don’t play games and I don’t play tricks on the audience. Our donations this year are well ahead of last year. It’s stunning to everybody. Last year was stunning because of the economic circumstance. This year it’s not much better, and the outlook is not much better, and yet you people are breaking down the doors here as far as donations are concerned. You’re making me look like a piker. So I am going to increase my donation of $250,000 last hour to $400,000 so that I can stay in the game here. (laughing) I guess I’ll ask for all three shirts and the golf cap, Snerdley, for the premium. I’ll get into the premiums and all that in just a second and further information about the great work that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is doing. But I have to get back in the game here so I’m up to $400,000, payable, by the way, before Obama’s next tax increase, which is January.
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RUSH: Twenty years ago was when we first participated in our Cure-A-Thon, the Cure-A-Thon. Since that day, millions and millions of dollars — $25 million over 20 years — have been donated in one hour a year. Now, that’s how responsive and generous you have all been. Despite tax increases, recessions, 9/11, donor fatigue, Hurricane Katrina, there hasn’t been any of that here. Even last year and this year in recession, we’re ahead of last year. Every year we’ve been ahead of the previous year, and these past two years we were stunned. We didn’t expect to beat the previous year last year simply because of the souring economy.
As I said in the first hour: One of the reasons that I know that you continue to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is because you know it’s working. And it’s working beyond any of our wildest dreams. In 20 years, we’ve seen the survival rates grow significantly. There have been new treatments and technologies and therapies, new drugs. A lot of it made possible by you. Other than when you hear about somebody you know, a celebrity or somebody coming down with one of these blood cancers, then you think, ‘Wow, I wonder if my donation’s going to be involved in helping that person?’ Yes! Take great satisfaction in that it will be. Your donations help everybody that comes down with one of these blood cancers be they a child, be they middle-age or a seasoned citizen. But the thing is you hardly ever see the results.
This is what’s amazing. You have to trust that they’re taking place, you have to trust the progress that you’re told is being made — and you do. We have occasionally people call us on our Cure-A-Thon day to share their stories of success or tragedy, but all of them are appreciative. In that small way, you get to hear gratitude from the people who are affected by this. But mostly you’re doing it in the blind. You’re just trusting that what you’re doing is helping. We’re just here each year to remind you: Not only is your donation, your contribution helpful, it is meaningful. It’s been remarkable the success. But even so, 138,000 new cases of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma struck people every year in this country. One person passes away every ten minutes.
So that’s 52,000 people a year lost to these diseases, but 900,000 people are now fighting back and we are here to help them. And the survival rates continue to increase as well. That makes you not want to quit. Leukemia is still the biggest killer among children and young adults, but long-term survival rates are now at an astonishing 88%. It was nowhere near that when we started 20 years ago. Lymphoma was just as deadly for young adults but long-term survival rates there are at 86%. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma affects 430,000 people a year but long-term survival rates there now apply to 65% of them. So the progress is there. It’s amazing. There are exciting new advances in therapies that are developed in this fight. This year is no exception.
You have been here when you heard about the drug Gleevec which now gives 95% of the patients with one of the toughest blood cancers there is, CML, a five-year survival rate. Gleevec also has caused remission in other forms of leukemia. Now, get this. There’s a new immunotherapy project for the most common form of adult leukemia, CLL. In that form, the cancer cells eventually become immune to treatment. So these cells are extracted from the patient, they’re genetically modified to prod the body’s immune system to destroy them, and they’re infused back into the patient. In phase one trials, the first two patients have no detectable cancer cells after eight months. Zilch, zero, nada. Ten more patients are needed to complete phase one trials but these are the same type of amazing results that Gleevec had when it was developed.
This immunotherapy is a new frontier in cancer therapy, and like other advances, these breakthroughs can have applications beyond leukemia such as bone marrow transplants, a direct result of leukemia research. So telephone number is 877-379-8888. We’re getting, for the first time in four years, more telephone donations than online. Maybe it’s all those tea party people heading home, listening to the program. Or you can visit RushLimbaugh.com. We have three premiums. For a $70 donation you get a special edition EIB T-shirt, an EIB microphone radiating brilliantly on the front. It’s a one-size-fits-all. For $100, you get a special edition EIB T-shirt as well as a premium Rush golf hat — fully adjustable not with one of those cheap plastic bands across the back, either. It’s navy blue, got a red star and my signature across the front in white. For 340 bucks you get a high quality golf shirt moisture wicking and quick dry technology, like ClimaCool. This special edition shirt is white with a Navy colored EIB logo on the breast, my signature on the sleeve, and these are made to order. Pick your size from small, medium, large, XL or double XL when you call or when you go online.
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RUSH: Michael in Nashville, Tennessee, great to have you on the program, sir. Hello.
CALLER: Mega dittos, Rush.
RUSH: Thank you.
CALLER: I was just calling, I wanted to thank you for your efforts on the Cure-A-Thon. I have been battling both Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for over 21 years.
RUSH: Wow.
CALLER: I have been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s six times, and then last year —
RUSH: Wait a minute. Let me ask you a question about that.
CALLER: Yeah.
RUSH: Does that mean you’ve gone into remission and it’s come back or —
CALLER: Yeah. Yes.
RUSH: Okay.
CALLER: Gone into remission, and September of 2008 I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in my colon. And over the years I’ve gone through radiation, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant, more chemotherapy. I’ve gone through an experimental treatment — well, it was experimental at the time, I went through it the first time, called Rituxan, which is an antibiotic type of treatment that focuses on the particular cancer cells. It’s used mostly for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
RUSH: Right.
CALLER: But it’s through the efforts of people in your audience and stuff that have donated money over the years that have made all these different cures and advancements possible that people like me have been able to battle and —
RUSH: I’ll tell you, 21 years is incredible.
CALLER: Yes. Well, it’s the grace of our Lord that has kept me going. Apparently he isn’t done with me here on earth, so —
RUSH: Thank goodness.
CALLER: The battle’s been going on, so I appreciate —
RUSH: How have you dealt with this mentally and emotionally? Has this fight taken so much energy that you don’t have time to feel sorry for yourself about it?
CALLER: Pretty much. You know, there are a lot of different things that I’ve gone through, a lot of different side effects that have accumulated over the years. And I just place my faith in the Lord, and I just keep going that way. And I don’t think about it as being a victim or anything. I just keep doing what I can do. I mean, I have very little energy because of all I’ve been through.
RUSH: I can imagine. Well, thank you for taking the time to call. People hear people like you and I think it encourages them to be participatory even more. And it gives others who have been diagnosed hope. You’re 21 years. You’ve fought and come back from this six different times.
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: That’s not insignificant. It’s pretty inspiring and uplifting. And it gives a lot of people listening to you who have been diagnosed recently or who will be and have heard your call a lot of hope. You’ve done a great thing by getting through here today.
CALLER: Well, I appreciate everything that you do, Rush, and I just thank you for your time.
RUSH: Okay, Michael, thank you. God bless very much.
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RUSH: Twentieth anniversary today of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Cure-A-Thon. And we are exceeding last year’s levels of contributions. This is very awesome. It is extremely humbling. I’ve known for the entire 20-plus years of this show that you and I and this audience have a familial-like bond, and every year that is reinforced with the level of your participation in this Cure-A-Thon. ‘Cause doesn’t matter: wind, rain, snow, terrorism, hurricanes, bad economy, you’re there in ever increasing amounts. Each and every year you bring tears to the eyes of all these leukemia volunteers that I’ve known for 20 years who are all involved in this because they have lost family and friends, they themselves have come down with one of these diseases. That’s one of the most touching things about this.
So it’s why we do this for one day. Actually when you boil it all down we probably devote an hour of this program each year. One hour to this effort and in these 20 years, over $25 million has been raised. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world’s largest voluntary health information, and they’re dedicated not just to finding funding blood cancer research, finding cures, but education and patient services to people, just like you. The work of the society is international. They fund research at home and abroad, and they’re all outstanding in everything they do. You know, there are lots of great charities out there. But the great thing about leukemia-lymphoma is that they are making advances every year — cutting edge technological medical advances through hard work and because of the generosity of just great people like you, blood cancers are on defense.
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RUSH: Joe in St. Louis, you’re next on the EIB Network. Hello, sir.
CALLER: You know what, Rush?
RUSH: Hi.
CALLER: I’m what you would call a man’s man, okay?
RUSH: All right.
CALLER: And the first year or maybe the second year that I was listening, you told Snerdley, ‘Snerdley, bring in my checkbook, write out a check for 25 or $50,000,’ and I gotta tell you, I almost cried then, okay? I called Snerdley a little a while ago, I said, ‘How much –‘ I was working on a job, I couldn’t listen, I couldn’t tune in at the beginning. He said, ‘400 G’s.’ I said, ‘You know, first off, can I tell Rush how much I love him?’ ‘Cause, you know what? If it was George Clooney or Rosie O’Donnell or Harry Reid, Bill Clinton giving used underwear, whatever it was, they’d be on every news show tonight talking about it. ‘Today, Harry Reid donated $400,000 of his own money to this –‘ ‘George Clooney donated $400,000.’ You’re not going to hear one word and you do this every year. So I mean, you know, I know that you don’t want to hear all that kind of stuff, and I know you don’t want to hear how much people love you and how wonderful you are and all that stuff because I’ve been listening to you since day one. But I just gotta tell you, I don’t have any money. But, you know what? I’m going to find some money so that I can give money to leukemia, and I’m doing it for you, because that’s how much I feel about you. And it’s not just you, it’s what you stand for and you make me want to be a better person. We all are better people because we listen to you and we believe in the things that you say and the things you believe in. And other than that I just don’t know what else I can say, $400,000, it’s just amazing. And I love you for it and I don’t know anybody that’s got cancer. It’s not because you’re curing anybody for me, I just think it’s a wonderful thing.
RUSH: Joe, I don’t know what to say, other than I don’t ever remember Snerdley being in charge of my checkbook.
CALLER: Well, it was the first year — I’m pretty sure it was Snerdley. ‘Snerdley, bring my checkbook in here. Make out a check for 25 or 50 grand or –‘
RUSH: If you say it happened, it happened. I just don’t remember my checkbook ever being around somewhere where Snerdley could go get it, but if you say it happened, it happened. (laughing)
CALLER: Well, there’s probably a lot of things that go on that you don’t know about, but we going to keep that between me and Snerdley.
RUSH: Well, all right. Look, Joe, I can’t thank you enough, that’s —
CALLER: No, I thank you, Rush, and I mean it and it’s just a wonderful thing. Like I said, you probably aren’t going to hear anything on Fox News about it tonight and if it was anybody else, Sean Penn, any of these other people, it would be, ‘Oh, what a wonderful thing they did, look what they’re doing, they’re donating their time, they’re doing this.’ He gave $10,000 and it’s like it’s nothing and I know you only say it once usually during the show at the beginning of the show and it’s just, you know, it’s just a wonderful thing.
RUSH: Well, one of my philosophies about this, we don’t put out a press release, either. If they’re not listening, they won’t know it and we don’t tell ’em. We don’t tell anybody beyond the audience here. We don’t put out press releases for ourselves like those other people do.
CALLER: Everybody’s listening, you know that.
RUSH: Yeah.
CALLER: Whether they want to admit it or not, they’re listening.
RUSH: That’s true. You’re absolutely right again.
CALLER: Let me tell you something, if Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow or the elderly Chris Matthews —
RUSH: They don’t even make that much, Joe, we gotta be —
CALLER: (Unintelligible) somebody else’s money.
RUSH: (laughing)
CALLER: Earlier when you talked about, well, you know, Michael Jordan just don’t want to sell shoes to Democrats I was thinking, well, if he did, they wouldn’t sell any shoes and the only way they’d sell ’em is if the government subsidize them so the Democrats could buy shoes.
RUSH: (laughing) He’s on a roll. I ought to just back out here and let you take it to the commercial. You got another three minutes in you?
CALLER: (laughing) If you want me to take it to the commercial, when you were talking about Henry Waxman writing that bill, the thought of himself pleasuring himself as he sat there and wrote that bill was almost too much to bear.
RUSH: (laughing) The mental images that you concoct for these people are right on the money. I can’t dispute anything you’ve said so far. Look, Joe, I thank you very much. Everybody doing this does. We’re floored here by your comments and your perception. Thank you so much. Really.
CALLER: Thank you.
RUSH: We love you, too, Joe.
CALLER: Thanks, Rush.
RUSH: You bet. He’s got a good point. I do remember when the Clintons donated some used underwear to Goodwill it made news. It did. You don’t remember that, Dawn? Oh, yeah, it was the early nineties, Hillary cleaned out the Arkansas governor’s mansion and they sent some stuff over to Goodwill and in there was some used underwear and they got lauded for it. They took a deduction for the used underwear and all the other clothes.
All right, let me give you the phone number (877-379-8888) to donate if you are so inclined, thousands of people have today.
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RUSH: I just got an e-mail at the subscriber e-mail address, RushLimbaugh.com. ‘Dear Rush: I wanted to donate what I could afford, $5, to your Cure-A-Thon. When I tried to donate that amount online I couldn’t ’cause the minimum donation is $10. I’m sorry, Rush, I can barely afford the $5 donation so I guess I won’t be donating this year. Kay Sheil is her name. Kay, I am going to donate $10 for you in your name. So Pam, add $10 to my previous announced figure, and make sure it’s in the name of Kay Sheil, S-h-e-i-l. She wants to participate, and she will. In fact, make it $20. Make it $20!’
All right, here’s Greg in Ft. Lauderdale, great to have you on the program. Welcome.
CALLER: Mega dittos from down the street from you, Rush.
RUSH: Thank you, sir.
CALLER: I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you guys are doing. I’m a ten-year leukemia survivor. I got diagnosed with CML over ten years ago.
RUSH: How old were you then?
CALLER: I was 50.
RUSH: Yeah?
CALLER: I had no symptoms. I was asymptomatic. My dad had lung cancer and we both went in for a blood test together, and I was in the hospital two days later. (chuckles)
RUSH: Wow.
CALLER: My blood count came out over 225,000.
RUSH: Whew!
CALLER: So the doctor put me straight in the hospital. But it’s through research, through programs like you’re doing right now that are making a tremendous different. You used the analogy of a Model T. We’re really into beyond the space program with some of the stuff that Dr. Druker and his team are doing with molecular structures, finding the enzymes that are causing these cells to mutate, and I remember being on the original clinical trials for the Gleevec program.
RUSH: Wow!
CALLER: And —
RUSH: Well, you have seen vast improvements then.
CALLER: Oh, it’s awesome. You know, now, you’ve got the new medications — the super Gleevecs and the two or three other ones that are out — and it’s amazing to see what this research can do. You know, for ten years I’ve been sitting there and I’ve been, as I say sometimes, ‘Fat, dumb, and happy,’ because I been able to get this, and I call it a cure. So I recently got off the bench. I’ve actually partnered with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I’m doing… (chuckles) It’s kind of crazy but I figure I’ll be 60 and a ten-year leukemia survivor. I’m doing that Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, riding from Key West to Alaska. It’s 7,000 miles.
RUSH: Whoa ho!
CALLER: And —
RUSH: Whoa.
CALLER: But I’m doing it to raise funds for leukemia research for the same reason you’re doing it. You’re making a positive difference. And we can make a difference. We’re making great strides. You just look at guys like Dr. [Brian] Druker and three or four of the other guys that are out at Portland and some of the other education facilities that are working on this leukemia research. We can make a difference. And —
RUSH: Well, you’re walking evidence of it.
CALLER: Oh, every day. Every day you get up and the more that I can do to share what I’ve been able to get accomplished through folks that have made a difference. You talk about 20 years ago when you first started, the funds that you helped raise — and the awareness, more importantly. It’s the awareness that you brought to this disease, whether it’s childhood leukemia or the leukemia that strikes several people. You know, this is supposed to be a rare form, the CML, but there’s a lot of people that have it and you’ve got so many different kinds.
RUSH: I know. I know it’s a childhood disease. I’m always stunned at the number of seasoned citizens I hear contracting the disease, and even middle-aged. It doesn’t discriminate against anyone. I appreciate very much your call and graduations, Greg, and continued good luck.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I wanted to squeeze her in here before we ran out of busy broadcast time for one last thank you and show of sincere appreciation from Larry Vanderveen and Pam Edelstein and everybody gathered around the phone bank sitting at the computer up in New York, tabulating all of your donations coming in. They just continue to be, after 20 years, appreciative and surprised at the same time as we all are, for everything that’s happened here in these 20-plus years, but especially all the research and progress you have made possible because of your generosity to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Again, 877-379-8888. The phone’s going to be active through the weekend, by the way. You can donate through the weekend, and you can go online all weekend long as well. I was just told that. So make sure that you spread the word that it’s alive and kicking even after the program ends today.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: An appropriate final selection of bumper rotation: Everyone’s a Winner. We did it again. During the three-hour broadcast we exceeded last year’s total by hundreds of thousands of dollars in the three-hour broadcast period.