Participation in a clinical trial has helped Randy Ziss beat the odds and remain in remission from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His oncologist told him about the trial and Randy enrolled, and then saw his survival prognosis go from 30 percent to his present state of health today.

Randy was on active duty with the U.S. Air Force during his cancer treatment, and now works for Bristol-Myers Squibb as a medical science liaison. While in the Air Force, Randy, a pharmacist, worked with oncologists involved in many national clinical trials. Little did he know he would become a cancer patient, his colleague would become his oncologist and his dear friend, a surgeon, would confirm his diagnosis with a lymph node biopsy.

Hundreds of people received his “Randy Grams,” a series of updates he wrote about his condition as he went through treatment. By the time he sent out the eighth one, the list included family, friends, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients and other cancer survivors. “I’m very open about my disease,” he says.

People sought out Randy when he was going through cancer treatment, and told him his strength and positive attitude inspired them. He intends to do the same for people he meets as the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope™ makes its way across the country.

It will be several months before Randy reaches the point where he is clinically “cured” of cancer. Until then, he plans to have the “ride of his life.” As a member of the Team, Randy will do whatever it takes to make it up the mountains and across the country, day and night, to do what he calls the “near impossible.” “Because that’s what it takes sometimes to cure cancer – to do the near impossible.”