I want to share a recent NPR story that left me in tears. It's about Dr. Jim Olson, of Seattle, who works with children with cancer.
The article details his work as a scientist and doctor. He is working on developing "tumor paint," a molecule that can be injected into a patient to make their tumor glow under UV light. The idea is to facilitate tumor removal by doctors and minimize the amount of healthy tissue removed. Fascinating work.
Even better is the rest of the story, which details why Olson does what he does. This is a man with pure motives and a beautiful outlook on life. Heavily influenced by the parents of his patients, Olson relates that he tries to celebrate the life of each patient rather than mourning what each patient will miss when they die. To quote, "a life doesn't have to be 90 years [long] to be beautiful."