Patient’s Corner: Living with Chronic Illness Vol. 3
By Dorothy Leone-Glasser
Breast cancer survivors face many challenges while going through treatment and in post treatment. They experience a wide range of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual pain. There are lingering side effects to treatment that are long term and can be hard to manage. Many times, the fear of what will happen is overwhelming. Cancer survivors live with fearing a recurrence, especially with Stage 4 Cancer. This is especially real for women of color, since they have the highest recurrence rates and the highest mortality rates.
I met Tiah at an Rx in Reach GA Coalition Capitol Day. Being a survivor of Cancer myself, we knew women we would have a special bond. When we look at the journey of a woman living and thriving beyond cancer, oftentimes they don’t get a chance to take a break from the day-to-day challenges of life. These women are mothers, daughters, sisters and aunties, caregivers and pillars of their families. They are leaders in their community and on their jobs and so much more. One of the biggest needs is how to manage or cope with their daily life challenges while healing from the devastation of cancer and the damaging toll of treatment. Patients seldom receive the information and counseling on how to re-enter life. Cancer survivors and their families and friends need the education, resources and guidance from a healthcare team that supports the health of their mind and body.
Here are some ‘Tips’ from Tiah:
- SEE ME AS A PERSON BEFORE SEEING ME AS A PATIENT. We are more than our disease. We have families, friends, jobs, hobbies, goals and dreams. When you are treating me as a patient, remember – I am not a “one size fits all”. I am uniquely me! Take time to learn a little bit more about me and what could potentially be barriers to my care.
- BE PATIENT WITH ME. What you see on the outside is not always a reflection of what’s going on the inside. As a patient, I may not always verbalize how I truly feel or the problems I face. Many patients don’t want to be seen as a burden so we just keep our superhero capes on and press our way through.
- CANCER IS COMPLICATED. SOMETIMES WE AREN’T GIVEN THE PROPER DIAGNOSIS OR ARE MISDIAGNOSED. Because I look healthy or are very young doesn’t mean I am not seriously ill. I know when something is wrong with my body. I need a care team that hears me.
- SOME DAYS I JUST DON’T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF.
This is why having a caregiver/advoacte is so important.
- LIVING WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS CAN BE VERY EMOTIONAL . Cancer comes with the challenges of side effects of treatments and drugs, isolation, fear and anxiety of disease progression or recurrence; all causing a rough ride on an emotional rollercoaster.
Founder & CEO,
My Style Matters
Dorothy Leon GlasserExecutive Director, Advocates for Responsible Care
Co-Chair, Georgia Bio Patient Advocacy Alliance
The post Patient’s Corner: Living with Chronic Illness Vol. 3 appeared first on Georgia Bio.
For Georgians living with serious and rare diseases, how quickly and predictably a new treatment moves through U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review can make a real difference. That predictability also matters to the researchers and businesses that make up Georgia’s growing life sciences sector. Both depend in large part on the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), a longstanding bipartisan program that Congress needs to reauthorize by 2027. How PDUFA Works Since 1992, PDUFA has allowed the FDA to collect user fees from biopharmaceutical companies to supplement the agency’s resources for reviewing new medicines. In exchange, the FDA commits to clear, predictable review timelines. The agency’s standards for safety and efficacy remain unchanged. By providing additional resources and establishing clear performance goals, PDUFA helps ensure patients can access new treatments in a more timely and predictable manner. The result of PDUFA have been significant. Before PDUFA, FDA reviews often took more than two years. Today, the median review time is 10 months for standard applications and 8 months for priority applications. In 2025, nearly 70% of new medicines were approved in the U.S. before any other country. What’s at Stake in 2027 Congress reauthorizes PDUFA every five years. The current agreement, PDUFA VII, expires September 30, 2027. Timely reauthorization is critical to maintaining the FDA’s review capacity, preserving regulatory predictability, and ensuring patients continue to benefit from medical innovation. Georgia stakeholders recently came together to talk through what that means here at home. On October 28, Georgia Life Sciences, the MTS Sickle Cell Foundation, and Georgia First hosted “PDUFA: How Medicines Reach People,” a lunch-and-learn at Brookhaven City Centre. Patient advocates, congressional staff, and business and academic leaders heard from Nick Magallanes of Todd Strategy Group, Natalie Crawford of Georgia First, Maria Thacker-Goethe of Georgia Life Sciences, and Mapillar Dahn of the MTS Sickle Cell Foundation. What We Heard At the event, speakers came at PDUFA from different angles, but the common thread was how the program affects Georgians. Mapillar Dahn of the MTS Sickle Cell Foundation stressed that patients need to remain at the center of conversations. As a mother of three daughters with Sickle Cell Disease, Mapillar stressed that she wants the FDA to have what it needs to carry out a thorough review without unnecessary delays. The confidence families place in a treatment depends in part on confidence in that process. Natalie Crawford with Georgia First and Mended Hearts spoke about the need for a fully resourced FDA so that Georgia patients have access to innovative treatments and also for a healthy Georgia economy. Additionally, Maria Thacker-Goethe spoke to what PDUFA reauthorization means for Georgia’s booming life sciences sector. She warned that without PDUFA reauthorization, research across the board will be stifled – ranging from devastating impacts to small startups to significant delays in investments and research. Part of a National Conversation As Congress prepares for the 2027 reauthorization, conversations like these help bring together patients, advocates, and community leaders to highlight the real-world importance of the program. Decisions made in this reauthorization cycle will shape FDA resources and review timelines nationwide. By reauthorizing PDUFA on time, Congress can make sure the FDA can keep reviewing new medicines efficiently and patients in Georgia and across the country can get the treatments they need.
New Hypepotamus feature explores Georgia’s growing MedTech sector and opportunities to strengthen startup development, commercialization, and long-term industry growth Georgia’s life sciences industry is experiencing significant growth, fueled by major investments, expanding research capabilities, and an increasingly connected innovation ecosystem. From biotechnology and medical devices to diagnostics and digital health, the state continues to demonstrate its potential as a destination for life sciences innovation. As Georgia builds on that momentum, an important opportunity is emerging: ensuring that the startups and technologies developed here have the resources and support to grow, scale, and remain in the state. A new Hypepotamus feature, “Atlanta’s MedTech Momentum Faces a Test: Can Startups Stay and Scale?” , by Maija Ehlinger, explores this next phase of ecosystem development. Featuring perspectives from entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders, including Georgia Life Sciences President & CEO Maria Thacker Goethe, the article examines how Georgia can build on its existing strengths while addressing challenges facing emerging companies. A Strong Foundation for Continued Growth Georgia has made substantial progress in establishing itself as a competitive life sciences hub. Recent major investment announcements, including UCB’s planned $2 billion biologics manufacturing facility in Gwinnett County and Shriners Children’s planned investment of more than $153 million in a research institute at Science Square, reflect continued confidence in the state's capabilities and potential. The state also benefits from a strong network of research universities, healthcare systems, entrepreneurial support organizations, and innovative companies developing technologies that have the potential to improve patient care and advance medical discovery. Programs and facilities such as Georgia Tech's ATDC, BioSpark Labs, and other regional innovation resources provide important support for emerging companies, helping entrepreneurs move promising ideas toward commercial application. These assets represent a strong foundation for future growth. Addressing the Needs of a Maturing Ecosystem While Georgia's industry continues to advance, emerging MedTech and biotechnology companies face challenges that extend well beyond the state. A changing investment environment, increasingly complex commercialization pathways, and demand for specialized infrastructure are reshaping how early-stage companies develop and grow. The Hypepotamus article highlights some of these pressures, including the recent closure of Portal Innovations' Atlanta location and the challenges startups encounter in securing affordable laboratory space, early-stage capital, and industry connections. These developments underscore the importance of strengthening the support systems that enable innovation. They also reflect a broader opportunity for Georgia to build on its progress and ensure that companies at every stage of development can access the resources they need. “Our biggest opportunity is to become as good at growing and retaining life sciences companies as we are at attracting major investments,” said Thacker Goethe in the article. A Roadmap for Georgia’s Next Chapter This focus on growing and retaining innovative companies is central to Georgia Life Sciences' 10-year strategic roadmap , which outlines priorities to strengthen the state's life sciences ecosystem and long-term competitiveness. The roadmap recognizes that continued industry growth requires a coordinated approach to commercialization, access to capital, specialized infrastructure, workforce development, and partnerships across academia, industry, healthcare, and government. For early-stage companies, those connections are especially important. Access to research facilities, clinical partners, experienced mentors, investors, and manufacturing resources can make the difference between a promising discovery and a successful commercial enterprise. Through its industry councils, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem initiatives, Georgia Life Sciences is working to help strengthen these connections and support the development of an environment where companies can succeed at every stage of growth. Turning Momentum into Long-Term Opportunity Georgia's life sciences story is one of substantial progress and considerable opportunity. The next chapter will require building on that success with the same intentionality that has helped attract major industry investments and expand the state's research and innovation capabilities. That means continuing to support companies choosing Georgia for major investments while also strengthening the pathways that allow homegrown businesses to develop, commercialize, and scale here. The goal is not simply to attract life sciences innovation to Georgia, but to ensure Georgia is a place where innovation can take root, grow, and thrive. The Hypepotamus feature offers a timely perspective on the opportunities ahead and the importance of continued collaboration across Georgia's life sciences community. Read the Full Hypepotamus Article
New national report highlights Georgia’s growing bioscience workforce, research enterprise, and investment activity October 28— Georgia’s bioscience industry continues to expand its economic footprint, supporting 42,605 jobs across 4,281 business establishments statewide in 2025, according to a new report examining the economic impact of the U.S. bioscience industry. The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Advancing Innovation and Strengthening States and Regions, published by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), the Council of State Bioscience Associations, and TEConomy Partners, provides a comprehensive assessment of the bioscience industry’s contributions to employment, wages, business growth, university research and development, and access to capital across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Georgia’s bioscience employment grew 7.6% between 2021 and 2025, slightly outpacing national growth. The state recorded employment gains across all five major bioscience industry subsectors, demonstrating the breadth of its life sciences economy. “Georgia’s bioscience industry is an important contributor to our state’s economic competitiveness, creating high-quality jobs and advancing research and innovation,” said Maria Thacker Goethe, President and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. “These findings underscore the opportunity to build on Georgia’s strengths by strengthening connections among research institutions, industry, investors, and workforce partners to help more life sciences companies innovate and grow here.” Georgia’s Bioscience Industry: Key Findings The report highlights several indicators of Georgia’s bioscience industry strength: 42,605 jobs: Georgia’s bioscience industry employed more than 42,000 people in 2025, with employment growing 7.6% from 2021 to 2025. 4,281 business establishments: Bioscience companies and related businesses operate across the state, contributing to Georgia’s diverse economic base. $112,712 in average annual wages: Bioscience industry wages exceeded Georgia’s private-sector average by 52%, highlighting the sector’s contribution to high-value employment. $2.0 billion in university bioscience research: Georgia universities conducted $2.0 billion in bioscience-related research and development in fiscal year 2024. $789.5 million in NIH funding: Georgia institutions received $789.5 million in National Institutes of Health funding in fiscal year 2025. $1.5 billion in venture capital investment: Georgia bioscience companies attracted $1.5 billion in venture capital from 2021 through 2025. Georgia’s bioscience distribution subsector, the state’s largest, expanded employment by 10.3% during the period. Agricultural feedstock and industrial biosciences recorded the fastest percentage growth, reflecting the breadth of activity across the state’s bioscience economy. National Industry Impact Nationally, the U.S. bioscience industry generated $3.19 trillion in total economic output and directly employed 2.31 million Americans across more than 156,000 business establishments. The report examines the industry's economic footprint and the factors that support its continued growth, including research investment, workforce development, and access to capital. Building on Georgia’s Life Sciences Momentum The findings highlight Georgia’s substantial research enterprise, established industry base, and ability to attract investment. Continued growth will depend on strengthening the connections that help translate scientific discoveries into commercial opportunities, expand access to capital, develop a skilled workforce, and provide the infrastructure companies need to scale. Georgia Life Sciences works to advance the state’s life sciences ecosystem through policy and advocacy, workforce development, industry convening, and strategic collaboration. Its statewide roadmap, Pathways & Partnerships: A Roadmap for Georgia’s Life Sciences Sector, outlines a long-term vision for positioning Georgia as a leading scale-up manufacturing hub in the Southeast. “Georgia has significant assets across research, manufacturing, workforce, and logistics,” Goethe said. “By coordinating these strengths and addressing the gaps that can limit company growth, we can create more opportunities for innovation, investment, and long-term economic impact across the state.” Read the Report The full report, The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Advancing Innovation and Strengthening States and Regions, and Georgia’s state-specific profile are available from the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Explore the national report and findings Download Georgia’s state profile (PDF)
