Contest Entries
What Happens to a Donated Tumor?
Entrants: Stephen Ornes
Affiliation: CR Magazine
Trade Publications/Newsletters
Year: 2009
Place: Third Place
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
This story follows a tumor from resection to research: when a person decides to donate tissue, how does it get from the operating room to the research laboratory? The journey of a donated tumor leads to a discussion of the obstacles – logistic and scientific – facing biospecimen science.
Judges' comments: Stephen Ornes takes the reader into an obscure corner of American medicine, and with an abundance of carefully-explained factual detail, explains why it could make a difference to the health of millions of patients.
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