This month we are encouraging people to "Thank A Trial Participant'.
In support of that campaign, we have pledged to gift 31 origami sunflowers to trial participants, one for each day of October.
Today, we are half-way through the month, and wanted to celebrate one of those we've thanked with an origami sunflower (with their consent).
Thank you Jack!
Jack was nominated by a friend to his family. This is what was shared about Jack and his family in the gifting request form.
"Jack has DMD (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy). He tried very hard to meet the inclusion criteria for a trial with an experimental orphan medicine, and he made it. Either his mum or dad travelled interstate to the trial site with Jack several times a year for 3 years while he was in the trial. Sometimes it was hard for their family.
The treatment was never approved, at least in Australia.
I'd like to acknowledge Jack and his family's decision to try to do something to benefit Jack and everybody else's children with DMD too."
When we contacted Jack and his mum, his mum acknowledged "It was a challenging time, but we are happy we did it".
This nomination is a great reminder that clinical trial participants sometimes have to go to great lengths, and their participation may require a village to enable it. Trial participation takes work, effort, time, and has impacts beyond the participant. But most participants will say it is worth it, and certainly, we think its a service we should all be thankful for, for their contributions to advancing health care!
If you know someone that has taken part in a clinical trial, please take a moment to say thankyou, with a note, with small gesture or gift (like our origami sunflowers) or however else you like to show gratitude.
You can also nominate them to be in the running for a gifted origami sunflower from AccessCR, this month or in the future here.
Once again, thank you to Jack and his family for your contribution to science through trial participation.
