Most of us have a story that has led us to the career path we have now.
Dr. Jeffrey Taub is no different but possibly a little more unique than most. Dr. Taub was 15 when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma and found himself at Children's Hospital of Michigan receiving chemotherapy and radiation during high school, 10th grade. It was then that the oncologist in him would eventually become an advocate and doctor for his type of childhood disease. Now, 41 years later, the young boy who credits the hospital for saving his life, is the Chief of Pediatric Oncology at Children's Hospital of Michigan.
We were so fortunate to spend a day in his life to better understand the world of pediatric oncology at one of the nation’s most celebrated hospitals, which stands side by side with families and children in an effort to cure them of life threatening illnesses. While the hospital boasts bright, inviting colors and soft tones, you are quickly reminded where you are when you see a child coming down the hallway with a bag of medicine dripping into his or her arm or a port on their chest. Dr. Taub is man of passion with a certain boyish attitude; he loves Mad Magazine, has been a fan of theirs for years and was recently published in their latest addition. His office is filled with kid-like collectibles, and of course, the latest box of magic tricks. Dr. Taub is widely known for his ability to bring a sense of calmness to the kids, having some magic tricks up his sleeve. “I love what I do. I am surrounded by children all day and I am still a kid at heart.”
Don’t let this carefree attitude fool you; on the day we were there, Dr. Taub's lab coat had a pin in plain sight stating “CANCER SUCKS”. Dr. Taub met with mother Tayadra Cabbell and her son, Glen Cabbell, who after years of being cancer free is now facing a rare and unknown case of the disease where there is little direction as to what the next steps are. This has not only Glen's mom worried but Dr. Taub, as well; “I don’t like to see any cancer come back.”
On the same day was a follow-up appointment with Michael Daniels and his mother, Camille Davis. “I love these appointments, I get to see a small friend I haven’t see in a while and ensure his mother that things are on track.” Dr. Taub is clearly proud of his work, which is almost superhero-like when you think about what he does. He has an entire wall in his office dedicated not to fancy awards or trips to far away places, but rather hundreds of pictures of children who are now healthy because of the work he does each and every day.
"When you look at national statistics, since the 70's, there is a slight increase in the number of childhood cancers that have gone up." Leukemia is the most common cancer in children and teens, accounting for almost one out of three cancers. While Dr. Taub wears a doctor coat during the day, you may also see him at a lab at Wayne State University School of Medicine working with Ryan Thummel, an Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology. The researchers at WSU hope to find out if a common pesticide called Propoxur, which is commonly used against grass, forestry and household pests and fleas, is a trigger that flips a switch in a specific gene, causing leukemia in children.
Environmental toxicologist, Tracie Baker, an Assistant Professor in WSU’s Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, is joining the research team. She has extensive experience using zebrafish to understand the adverse health effects of exposure to environmental toxins. “With financial support from Kids Without Cancer, we're able to breed zebrafish with the human leukemia cancer genes. This collaboration between Dr. Taub and research scientists is extremely well-suited for revealing previously unrecognized environmental influences and genes that can trigger the development of leukemia.”
We are thrilled to have Dr. Taub featured in our film “Those of the Front lines of Cancer“