Why Elephants?
Elephants rarely get cancer. Their bodies have 100 times as many cells as humans, so they should be 100 times more likely to develop cancer.
However, cancer is nearly nonexistent in elephants, and the main reason for this remarkable resistance has been found in their DNA. Researchers discovered that elephant DNA contains 40 copies of a cancer-fighting protein, whereas human DNA only contains two. This allows elephants to eradicate mutated cells before they ever form tumors. Hunstman Cancer Institute is leading the research to use elephants’ natural cancer-fighting ability to treat cancer in children. Learn more about this life-saving research below.
Why Kneaders Cares
In 2015, childhood cancer became a personal fight for the Kneaders family. Our founders, Colleen and Gary Worthington, share what motivated Kneaders to work with Huntsman Cancer Institute to end childhood cancer.
Learning that our grandson, Tanner, had been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2015 was heartbreaking. Where there use to be laughter, sports, and activities with friends, we watched Tanner’s typical teenage life turn into overnight chemotherapy sessions at the hospital, painful radiation treatments, and doctor appointments. Every day of Tanner’s life was spent trying to survive and every day we were faced with the real possibility that he might not win his fight.
Although Tanner is now cancer-free, we will never forget the profound challenge of surviving an overwhelming and rare disease. No matter who you are, cancer is impacting a friend, family member, coworker, or someone in your community. We have been personally impacted by cancer within the Kneaders family and regardless of how the disease attacks, the struggle to fight and survive remains the same, which is why we are proud to support the monumental research of Dr. Schiffman.
