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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                           NOVEMBER 29, 2024        |  The Indian Eye 25




                         NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK




                   Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com



                               TULSI GABBARD                                                     DR. ABHIJIT PATEL

            Former Democrat will be new                                           Researcher wins 2024 Lung


          Director of National Intelligence                                    Cancer Early Detection Award


































              resident-elect Donald Trump revealed on Wednesday that he has nar-  UNGevity Foundation and Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer
              rowed down his choices for the director of National Intelligence to in-  Research are proud to support Abhijit Patel, MD, PhD, Yale University
        Pclude Tulsi Gabbard, a former member of the Democratic Party. Gab- LSchool of Medicine, with the 2024 Rising Tide Foundation for Clini-
        bard served as a Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii from 2013 until   cal Cancer Research / LUNGevity Foundation Lung Cancer Early Detection
        2021.                                                               Award to dramatically reduce lung cancer-related mortality.
            Gabbard has a unique heritage. Her mother hails from Indiana, while her   Dr. Patel and his close collaborator, Steven Skates, PhD, at Massachu-
        father has Samoan and European ancestry. She was born in American Samoa   setts General Hospital, have developed an exciting technical breakthrough
        but due to her mother’s interest in Hinduism, her mother chose the name   that accurately measures tiny amounts of DNA fragments from cancer cells
        Tulsi for her.                                                      that are in the bloodstream and aims to create a model that links the presence
            Announcing this bold decision to choose Hindu Tulsi Gabbard as Head of   of these fragments in the blood with the presence of lung cancer in patients. In
        National Security, Trump said on social media, “For over two decades, Tulsi   addition, they are working toward creating an algorithm that tracks the chang-
        has fought for our country and the freedoms of all Americans. As a former   es in a patient’s blood over time. Taken together, this work lays the ground-
        candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, she has broad support   work for a routine blood test for lung cancer to detect it at its earliest stages
        in both parties, she is now a proud Republican!”                    when it is the most curable.
            Tulsi Gabbard, who made an unsuccessful attempt for the Democratic   “This approach has additional advantages that can be a game-changer
        presidential nomination in 2020, has endorsed Republican Donald Trump for   for the field of lung cancer,” explains Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, executive
        the 2024 election. However, her appointment by Trump’s team needs to be   director of LUNGevity Research. “For example, if this blood test is used with
        approved by the Senate, which was taken by Republicans last week. Gabbard   the current screening tests, it can detect some types of lung cancer, such as
        assisted Trump in getting ready for his debates with Vice President Kamala   squamous cell, that are often missed by screening.”
        Harris and was anticipating a payoff for her support of the president-elect.  The blood test could be used to clarify the status of incidental pulmo-
            Tulsi is a no-nonsense patriot, having found her place in a critical role   nary nodules and help reduce the number of unnecessary lung biopsies or
        for the US. Trump, while announcing Gabbard as his pick added, “She will   follow-up tests. The likelihood of surviving for five years or more after a lung
        bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our intelli-  cancer diagnosis is 27%. But if lung cancer is caught early, before it spreads,
        gence community, championing our constitutional rights, and securing peace   the five-year survival rate jumps to 64% and in some cases is curable.
        through strength.”                                                      “There is a clear and pressing need to improve early detection of lung
            Gabbard lacks experience in the intelligence field and she has also been   cancer,” said Dr. Alexandre Alencar, head of cancer research programs at
        against US assistance for Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research.
            Reflecting her gratitude for her selection by Trump, Tulsi Gabbard posted   LUNGevity Foundation and Rising Tide Foundation have joined togeth-
        on X, “Thank you, Donald Trump, for the opportunity to serve as a member   er in this collaborative partnership to stage-shift lung cancer so that the ma-
        of your cabinet to defend the safety, security and freedom of the American   jority of patients are diagnosed in the early stages of the disease when it is
        people. I look forward to getting to work.”                         most treatable.


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