In Memory of Care To Live Member Bruce Tower - 60 Years Young - Rest In Peace
August 25th, 2009 | Posted by Mike Kearney In Memoriam: August 24, 2009
Remembering Bruce Tower
On September 17th, 2007, I arrived at JJ Muldoon’s Pub in Gaithersburg Maryland around 9 PM. Before too long, I heard the thunderous voice of a distinguished looking gentleman. He was being escorted to a mini-van by a woman whom I found out was one of our heroines, Melody Davis. Many around them were making a fuss. As the word spread the atmosphere became electrifying. It’s when we all realized who this man was.
Bruce, suffering from late stage prostate cancer, was not in the best physical condition, but he nonetheless made the trip to Maryland to help us protest the next day outside the FDA Headquarters in Rockville. His gut-wrenching speech captured the audience and delivered the message. Many men, like him, need Provenge NOW. They could be strengthening their immune system, fighting the awful disease we know as prostate cancer.
On a Sunday afternoon in April 2008, I spoke to Bruce on the phone. We chatted a bit and then we discussed our fight for Provenge. It was almost a year now and he was willing to keep fighting right along with us. He gave us permission to use his picture and he wrote a letter which we published as an ad in the Rockville Gazette. It is a sad statement to say we had to pay a lot of money to get the story in the local newspaper in the hometown of the FDA. Several times he appeared on the Andrew Schorr Patient Power radio show with us. He and his wife Carol were there whenever we needed their help.
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Week 2 Ad Color caretoliverockvillegazette2ad.pdf
In his letter, Bruce made a simple plea. “Here is my plea; FDA: Please approve Provenge NOW.”
He could have had it working in his body for over two years. Now he will never get the chance to try Provenge to fight for his life.
I can hardly type this now because I just learned we lost Bruce Tower. The emotions run strong. Sadness for Bruce’s family. Anger for the FDA playing the wrong kind of god and withholding a safe and effective treatment. From everything I learned about Bruce, he was a remarkable man, dedicated to his wife, children and grandchildren. He inspired and taught other kids as a soccer coach. He led by example. He was a fine citizen indeed.
From everything I learned about our modern day government, these self-serving fools in charge could basically not give a damn. They are out of touch. They lost control. They are driving a long train full of people to their death tricking them into thinking they are going over a bridge. I can tell you with certainty, there is no bridge.
The empty promises of Andrew von Eschenbach and the nerve of him, makes my blood run cold with contempt. To me, he is the epitome of the captured FDA as declared by Harry Markopolis. To me, he let his friendship with convicted felon Michael Milken ruin his objective mission to serve the American people. Von Eschenbach double-dipped with the FDA and NCI leadership. He already set the Conflict of Interest stage. How could he keep an eye on it when he was wallowing in it?
Poor Bruce and his family. They should have had better. Their goverment let them down. They paid their taxes for nothing, not to mention the pain Bruce endured in his final days. I heard Bruce handled it like the champion he is. He only wanted to see those around him smile and live the good life.
May God richly reward you, Bruce. You should hear those words of old, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” May God comfort your family. May you rest in peace.
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Tags: Alison Martin, Andrew Von Eschenbach, Bruce Tower, Dendreon, FDA, Howard Scher, Kerry Donahue, maha hussain, Michael Milken, Prostate Cancer, provenge, Richard Pazdur
September 22nd, 2011 at 10:01 pm
[…] In Memory of Care To Live Member Bruce Tower – 60 Years Young …Aug 25, 2009 … Remembering Bruce Tower. On September 17th, 2007, I arrived at JJ Muldoon’s Pub in Gaithersburg Maryland around 9 PM. Before too long, I … […]