Conceptualized by Wendy Brokowsky, Talkuccino™ is a tribute to her father who lived with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia for 13 years. A journey of love, laughter and lattes, she is committed to fulfilling her father’s wish of compiling a book about their father-daughter pow-wows and coffee talks that they enjoyed twice every week until he passed away.
The book will be a collection of short stories submitted by friends, family and fellow detectives to take the reader’s minds off of daily problems and immerse themselves in other’s realities. When completed, Talkuccino™ will provide a window to the most exciting and fascinating stories from coffee houses around the globe.
In honor of Brokowsky’s father, 20 percent of the book’s profits will be donated to the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Hematologic Malignancies to support cancer research. The center is concentrating efforts on the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to leukemia and lymphoma and donations will go directly to the development of novel procedures and studies conducted at the University of Miami.
Brokowsky is currently accepting submissions from anyone that wants to join her on this journey. One hundred vanilla lattes later, the stories will be woven together to publish Talkuccino™. To submit stories for consideration, email talkuccino@gmail.com..
Information about the U of M non-profit for donations:
The UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center program in Hematologic Malignancies is concentrating efforts on the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to leukemia and lymphoma. This includes the development of novel gene therapy approaches as well as novel therapeutic proteins such as antibody fusion proteins and RNA-based compounds called aptamers which will allow selective and efficient targeting of leukemia and lymphoma cells for eradication.. A particularly novel approach currently being developed in the Rosenblatt/Shin laboratory involves the targeting of immune-effector molecules called NKG2D. Ligands to the surface of leukemia/lymphoma cells by linking them to antibodies which can selectively deliver the molecules to the surface of leukemia and lymphoma cells. This approach will improve upon existing antibodies such as Rituximab and will stimulate a much more vigorous immune response to tumor cells by NK (natural killer) and CD8+ T cells involved in normal immune defense. This will allow the generation of “immune memory” cells that can seek out and attack cancer cells which remain after standard chemotherapy or radiation. Other approaches involve the use of modified viruses called viral vectors derived from viruses such as VSV and or Herpes Simplex virus that can selectively destroy tumor cells and also elicit a potent anti-tumor immune response.