Letter from Adel Sarofim

Dear Caroline and Jack,

The Howard family is quite exceptional. Your collective response to Jack's brain tumor is truly inspirational. Under circumstances that would have driven most into despair you have instead shown a joyous celebration of life, love, and faith in God.

I have followed your and Jonathan’s blogs. I have printed these out for Leticia and Marion Longwell. Leticia has just received a printed a copy of your blog (through Sept 5) that I mailed her since she has yet to connect to the internet in Peru. I have also just sent her the update through September 25. Marion called a few days ago looking for Leticia and we chatted. I learned that she is suffering from macular degeneration. She can no longer read but relies on books on tapes. When I informed her of Jack’s condition she asked me to send her a copy of the blog which she will have some one read to her. She is in a retirement community in Silverdale, WA close to her daughter Ann.

I remember how I naively in a previous email to Caroline said that she would undoubtedly research the alternative treatments available to select the best for Jack. I did not appreciate at the time that the MGH capabilities are truly exceptional, with the large experienced faculty, and the long history in the use of LINAC for radiotherapy. But the Web descriptions do not tell the whole story. The miscues and negligent behavior by their staff would be farcical if they did not involve such serious health issues. It sounds, however, that they have learned who they are dealing with and that Caroline has taught them to toe the line.

It was heartening to follow Jack’s recovery from his biopsy through his discipline, hard work, and good humor. I trust that these same qualities will help him face the challenges of the radiation therapy that he is undergoing. His intellectual curiosity about his treatment reminds me of a visit to Prof. Hottel in a hospital outside York where he was recovering from a concussion resulting from his being hit by a taxi when he crossed the road looking the wrong way at the Tuesday outing at the Leeds Combustion Institute symposium. When I walked into his room, I found him studying X-Rays of his cranium trying to identify the point of contact from the crack propagation lines. Jack and Hoyt are from the same mold, given their technical brilliance, hard work, and intellectual curiosity even when directed at their own well being. It is knowing this that I am forwarding separately a description of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy that might stimulate Jack. There were clinical trials at MIT under the direction of Otto Harling whom Jack undoubtedly knew. I contacted Otto who informed me that although the trials at the MIT Nuclear Reactor have ended there were active programs in Finland and Japan. He forwarded reports on the Finnish trials that I am passing on to you in a separate email.

All your friends and colleagues are praying for Jack’s recovery. As Greg McRae said so articulately the world needs Jack to get well soon.

Adel

Letter from Bill Grieco

Carolyn—

You may recall that I was one of Jack’s graduate students in the mid- to late-90s. I just heard about Jack’s health situation from an MIT faculty member yesterday. Please know that all of you are in our thoughts. If there is anything that I can do, please let me know.

You should also know (and I hope that he does as well!) that Jack had a profound impact on me as a student and as an engineer. I can’t count the times when I’ve asked myself the question “What would JBH do in this situation?” to help guide me in facing technical, professional, and ethical issues. He has always been an excellent role model for his students and colleagues. As Jack commented in an email after a phone chat that he and I had in late June, we easily fell back into our old habits of long conversations and that it seemed like old times. My grad school memories will always be of my late day (and often early night…to the chagrin of my wife, Tonya) discussions with Jack when it seemed like we were trying to solve all the world’s problems. Really good times and great memories…

Know that we are with you.

Take care,
Bill