Earlier this evening, our Fuji team had a group dinner with several executives and marketing staff from our climb’s sponsor, Takada Pharmaceuticals. Although Takeda manufactures and markets drugs that are making a tremendous impact on the lives of patients with multiple myeloma, their employees rarely get to meet actual patients. During our dinner, they did get the opportunity to meet several patients and witness the impact their work is having on their lives.

The success of a cancer medication as measured in a drug development laboratory can be quantified based on how long a particular drug can extend a patient’s “progression free survival” or “overall survival,” and while these clinical measures are important, I believe it is also important for those who work in cancer treatment to see firsthand the results of their work by meeting the patients whose lives have been profoundly and positively impacted by these medications.

When a group of patients with multiple myeloma is able to fly into Japan and climb its tallest and most iconic mountain, it reminds everyone concerned just how important Takeda’s work is and just how successful its work has been.

Tomorrow, we are off to climb Mount Fuji and make that statement.