My Superheroes in the Long War on Cancer

Lessons from my grandfather and his mighty oncologist explain why I find working for a life sciences company so meaningful

We often ask ourselves "Our Why" to explore changes, to better understand the logic behind our decisions, or to remind ourselves of the emotions that give us the strength to pursue new horizons. As I complete my third year on our Research Models and Services (RMS) team at Charles River Laboratories, this feels like the perfect time to share my story about my granddad's war against cancer, and coincidentally meeting his lead doctor from MD Anderson Cancer Center. Both are perfect reminders of why I find my work so meaningful.

My granddad, Theodore "Top" Topolski, was born on May 8th, 1942, in Michigan City, Indiana. Through his 81 years of life, he cherished our family more than anything else. He was an integral part of my upbringing and is one of my greatest heroes. He's left countless echoes in my life, from choosing sales as a career path, to fostering others' successes. However, his ability to happily persevere through dire circumstances is his most admirable quality. His 29-year fight tells a beautiful story about him and highlights a slice of oncology research history through the research breakthroughs he benefitted from.

Top received his first cancer diagnosis in 1994. Learning he had B-Cell lymphoma would mark the beginning of a war that would persist until the day he died in 2023, on his 81st birthday. Ultimately, his battles cost him 80% of his stomach in 1994, and then the remainder of his stomach and a third of his left lung after multiple cancers returned in 2012. He marveled at his MD Anderson team, led by Dr. Michael Wang. Trusting his teams helped Top endure biopsies, surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, proton treatments, CAT scans, and PET scans. He placed faith in new advances, including MD Anderson's B-cell Lymphoma Moon Shot. His trust allowed for better treatment efficacy and quality of life, despite his needs becoming increasingly complex. His teams were superheroes in his eyes. They are in mine, too.

His adoration for life sciences researchers wasn't limited to his team at MD Anderson, either. His eyes sparked when I told him I was joining a nascent customer intelligence team in September 2021. He was surprisingly familiar with Charles River's work and was proud that I'd found something that gives countless people the "borrowed time" that our patients share with the people they love most. Though his body was deteriorating, his mind was a fountain of youth. He was incredibly perceptive and always gave great advice (or a great joke when needed). I'm grateful I shared the start of my Charles River career with him, including the adventures of my move from Texas to Colorado and the beginning of my time on the RMS sales team.

I've had countless adventures during my sixteen months with this team, but I never expected anything like my chance encounter with Dr. Wang at this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology Conference in Chicago. On the show's opening day, a vaguely familiar man approached our vendor booth, immediately inquiring about our Athymic Nude mice. We bantered for a few minutes, then I decided I needed to confirm why he looked so familiar. When he introduced himself as "Michael," I immediately thought "this can't be who I think this is," and asked his last name. "Wang," he replied, and with a beaming smile, I informed him of our shared connection. We were thrilled to know of each other's efforts in the fight against cancer. He shared that Charles River has been a longtime partner in his research through MD Anderson's Moonshot Program. I enjoyed hearing that our encounter added to the list of reasons why he liked collaborating with us.

My parents, who were Top's primary caretakers in his later years, told me countless stories of Dr. Wang and his teams' exploits in Top's care, but I hadn't gotten to meet one of my biggest heroes until that fateful Saturday. The most notable story they shared was that Wang referred to Top as his "Million Dollar Patient." He earned that nickname because at a different conference, a donor was so moved by Top's medical journey that he pledged a million dollars to MD Anderson to enable others to benefit from strides made by teams like Dr. Wang's. Moments like that perfectly encapsulate Top's life, and I'm thrilled to know his impact was far wider than just my family.

Meeting one of my heroes was an incredibly powerful reminder of why I'm so proud to be part of our Charles River family. It's because of our efforts that I got to have a relationship with my granddad, and I consider myself lucky that I get to Stand Up to Cancer with such great colleagues.

Shown in photo from left are Matt, his cousin Jack, his grandmother, Sally, his grandfather, "Top", his cousin Kate and his brother John.

Matthew Williams is a Business Development Manager at Charles River Laboratories.