Cancer and Modern Science: Breast Cancer

Product Description

A hardy band of scientists and support personnel huddled under a 165-foot-wide (50-meter-wide) dome at the South Pole. The date was March 21, 1999, and an Antarctic storm obscured their view of the setting Sun. The Sun would not rise again over the South Pole until September. Surrounded by darkness and ice, the "Polies" were well prepared for the long winter, or so they thought. During this time, their only contact with the rest of the world would be through the Internet and limited use of a satellite phone. Indeed, the cold weather, with temperatures that could fall to -100 degrees F (-73 degreesC), would make landing an airplace impossible. At this remote location, astronomers, meterologists, and physicists would carry out scientific experiments for the National Science Foundation. Meanwhile, a skilled group of computer technicians, mechanics, cooks, and others were responsible for the heating, cooking, and other support systems upon which their very lives depended. Dr Jerri Nielsen was a forty-six-year-old emergency room physician from Ohio. Serving as the group's doctor, she was responsible for any medical needs that might arise among the "winter-over" crew of forty-one men and women. Respirator infections, frostbite, and injuries occupied most of her time. She also had to be prepared to handle dental emergencies, mental health issues, and any serious illnesses that might arise, using only the limited provisions in her small medical clinic. Little did Dr Nielsen know that she herself would soon become her biggest medical challenge. Around the time the Sun went down, she discovered a lump in her breast.