Sidney Farber (September 30, 1903 – March 30, 1973) was an American pediatric pathologist at Boston Children's Hospital. He is regarded as the father of modern chemotherapy for his work using folic acid antagonists to combat leukemia, which led to the development of other chemotherapeutic agents against other malignancies. Farber was also active in cancer research advocacy and fundraising, such as through his establishment of The Jimmy Fund, a foundation dedicated to pediatric research in childhood cancers. The Dana–Farber Cancer Institute is named after him.

Early life

Farber was born in Buffalo, New York, to Jewish parents Simon Farber and Matilda ( Goldstein). He was the third of 14 children. One of his brothers was the philosopher and University of Buffalo professor Marvin Farber (1901–1980).

In the mid-1920s, Jewish students were often refused admission to US medical schools, prompting him to go to Europe. As Farber was fluent in German, he undertook his first year of medical school at the Universities of Heidelberg and Freiburg in Germany. Throughout his career, Farber published more than 270 books and research papers on pediatric pathology, autopsy, and the history of medicine. Many remain classic references today, such as his 1937 book on autopsy methods and techniques titled The Postmortem Examination. As a result, Farber is now known as a founder of pediatric pathology. In 1947, Farber conducted a clinical trial on aminopterin on 16 children, 10 of whom eventually achieved temporary remission. While many practicing physicians responded to these results with enthusiasm, many scientists expressed disbelief and resistance against the new drug since Farber, a young pathologist at the time, was viewed as presumptuous. However, Farber's discovery marked a breakthrough in cancer research since no drugs had previously been found effective against tumors of the bodily fluids. These findings promoted Farber as the father of the modern era of chemotherapy for neoplastic disease, having already been recognized for a decade as a founder of modern pediatric pathology. The antibiotic, derived from Streptomyces parvulus, was originally offered for free by the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company.

The Jimmy Fund

Farber began raising funds for cancer research with the Variety Club of New England in 1947. Together they created the Children's Cancer Research Foundation (CCRF), which was one of the first nationwide fundraising efforts to take full advantage of modern media, such as a broadcast of the radio show Truth or Consequences. On May 22, 1948, one of the CCRF's first patients to respond to Farber's antifolate, a twelve-year-old boy named Einar Gustafson, appeared on the show. Despite having Burkitt lymphoma, rather than leukemia, Gustafson (nicknamed 'Jimmy' for publicity purposes) became an inspiration for all pediatric cancer patients and triggered the renaming of the CCRF to the Jimmy Fund.

Dana–Farber Cancer Institute

In 1974, Farber's CCRF was renamed the Sidney Farber Cancer Center, and again in 1976 to the Sidney Farber Cancer Institute. Long-term financial support by industrialist Charles A. Dana and his foundation was acknowledged by the building of the Charles A. Dana Building in 1978 and the establishment of the Institute's present name of the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute in 1983.

On March 30, 1973, at the age of 69, Sidney Farber died from cardiac arrest while working in his office.

See also

  • Cancer (2015 film)
  • Farber disease
  • History of cancer
  • History of cancer chemotherapy
  • The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer

References

  • Dana–Farber Cancer Institute
  • Boston Children's Hospital
  • Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
  • American Cancer Society