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March 16, 2001

Lymphoma Research Foundation of America’s  “Celebration of Life” Ball

Dear Dr. Levy:

I am honored, humbled and thrilled to be the REAL LIVE patient who, on behalf of the many who continue to live, enjoy life, and thrive, presents you with the Evelyn Hoffman Memorial Award. I am very proud that the LRFA is honoring you. I believe that its founder, Ellen Cohen, would have been very proud also.  You shared a deep mutual respect as you both have worked so hard to make strides in fighting lymphoma.

As a Ron Levy idiotype antibody vaccine graduate (May 1995 - November 1995) or

LEVY’S LYMPHOMANIACS, as I call the vaccine graduates, I wanted to add my personal endorsement and express my appreciation for your influence on my life. Luke 5:31 reads,  “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but those who are ailing do”. I certainly needed YOU!

You gave me HOPE. It can mean trust, reliance; desire accompanied with expectation of what is desired or belief that it is attainable; one on whom hopes are centered; a source of hopeful expectation, or promise; something that is hoped for, or an object of hope. The Hebrew root verb qa·wah', from which come terms rendered “hope,” basically means “wait for” with eager expectation. Your vaccine therapy offered this gift to me when there seemed to be no hope for healing.

Our “official” first meeting, five years after receiving the idiotype vaccine, was a pleasant surprise and personal vindication of my choice in therapy. You are such a humble man, so honest, and quiet. I was quite surprised when I met you. I expected you to have an ego the size of your reputation. For this reason, I expected that you would be unapproachable, distant, and too busy to be interested in ME. Your manner and demeanor are further testimonies of how remarkable you are as a human being.

Dr. Levy, you are my personal hero. I feel that you handed me life again. When I tried to credit you for this, your reply to this praise was to make little of your contribution and credit my "zest for life" as the magic ingredient. Only time will tell if you and the Levy Lab Rats have found the long-term cure for NHL. At least, you have found a key to the extension of life....and as a living, breathing lab rat, I pray that you have, indeed, found the cure!!! 

Thank you for taking time to consider this letter. My continued praise for your dedication, effort and outstanding service to the lymphoma community. 

In Warmth and Gratitude from myself and family,

“To Life!”