good news -- and more work to do -- against children's center at Mini- Med lecture on Wednesday, April 7

* WHAT: Kevin Shannon, MD, speaks on “Childhood Cancer:  The Glass is Half Full”  at the April 7 session of the UCSF Mini Medical School, a six-week series for the public continuing through April 21.

* WHO: Shannon is professor of pediatrics and director of the Hematopoietic Malignancies Program, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. He studies the molecular genetics of childhood cancers. Among his discoveries is the realization that children with one kind of tumor must have a special treatment regimen. He found that the old standard treatment put these children at risk for leukemia later in life. Shannon says the high cure rate for some types of childhood cancers, plus the ability to minimize harm to a growing child by tailoring treatments to his needs, are reasons for pediatric oncologists to say “the glass is half full”—though many challenges remain.

* WHEN:  Wednesday, April 7, 7:00 to 9:00 PM (one-hour lecture and Q&A)

* WHERE: Cole Hall on the UCSF campus, 513 Parnassus.

## UCSF Mini Medical School:

UCSF Mini Medical School VI is open to the general public and designed for people who want to learn more about science and the intricate workings of the human body. In addition to childhood cancer, this series includes sessions on maternal-fetal surgery, children’s heart defects, diabetes, allergies, vaccines and the immune system, and pain.

## Tickets and Registration:

Tuition for one Mini Medical School session is $15. Tuition for the six-week course is $75. On the evening of the event, registration in the 513 Parnassus lobby begins at 6:00 pm. For information, call UCSF Public Affairs at (415) 476-2557 or email [email protected].

## Note for Reporters and Editors

For interviews with Dr. Shannon or to cover the event, contact Janet Basu, UCSF News Services, phone: 476-2557, or pager: 719-0189.