Williams' cancer patent: Utmost for the highest

The Gleaner of December 2 related a story about Dr Lawrence Williams, a Jamai-can scientist at the Scientific Research Council, being celebrated on the international stage for finding an effective treatment for some types of cancer.

Williams was awarded an international patent on a compound isolated from the Guinea hen weed as a protein complex of dibenzyl trisulphide.

Rights to the patent are shared with Dr George Levy, a Jamaica-born medical doctor living in the United States of America.This protein complex has the potential to fight various kinds of cancers, including the rare melanoma, and the more prevalent lung and breast cancers.

I remember a couple of years ago, Dr Edwin Tulloch-Reid, noted cardiologist, introducing me to Dr Williams and spoke in glowing terms of him as an outstanding Calabar old boy who was a world-class scientist who had done work in Germany. Williams appeared unassuming and I said to myself how come I have never heard about him and his work.

Little did I know that he has been involved in this research for approximately 13 years and that the complex is superior in killing cancer cells relative to the pure compound found in the Guinea hen weed. But it is typical of Calabar old boys not to be arrogant but rather to be more interested in service to God and humans.Next year, Calabar High School launches its 100th anniversary celebrations and let us hope that Calabar will celebrate Lawrence Williams and other world-class old boys who seem unassuming and might not be popular among the wider population.

Efficacy in folk medicine

There is much wisdom in ordinary Jamaicans. It was the day before The Gleaner carried this story that I visited a member who is suffering from melanoma. She told me that after consultations with her doctors, she had decided against surgery. She also told me that a friend from Clarendon had recommended to her that she should use Guinea hen weed. There is much efficacy in folk medicine, it would appear.It would be good if the scientific community could tap more into the wisdom of rural Jamaicans as we seek to find cures.Dr Henry Lowe, well-known scientist and author, is another scientist who believes there is medicinal value in our Jamaican plants which have been exploited by others and packaged and then sold to Jamaicans.

And even as we celebrate Williams and his connection to Calabar, let us remember that he started at Norman Manley High School.I have visited that school on occasion, and Boulevard Baptist, the church I pastor, has a relationship with the school, in that we manage the Enid Miller Scholarship which is awarded to a student of Norman Manley High biennially.Williams' discovery shows that academic brilliance can emanate from non-traditional high schools.

Therefore, it appears that if children are given the proper resources, facilities, supportive family and significant others, then it could be that these children would achieve like Campionites and Calabarians. This discovery should make policymakers and owners of capital invest more resources and time in the non-traditional high schools.

This remarkable breakthrough by Williams has global significance because cancer is one of the leading causes of death.Let's hope that Jamaicans will support this research as Williams moves to the next stage in conducting clinical trials of the compound and the development of a pharmaceutical agent.

In the meantime, Dr Lawrence Williams attaining this international patent is a practical demonstration of Calabar's school motto 'The Utmost for the Highest'.

Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'The Cross and the Machete: Native Baptists of Jamaica - Identity, Ministry and Legacy'. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com