is that there are so many types of cancers out there. Some treatable, some the kiss of death. There are a ton of universities working at cracking DNA codes and creating new therapies to figure out how to stop it. And, of course, to cure it. But to dangle a billion dollars out to the public and say, ‘bring me the cure,’ that’s a little over the top, don’t you think?”
“I heard this type of doubt many times in the insurance business,” Sal said, then turned to Nick. “And what do I always say?”
“There is one good way to fail, and that’s not to try.”
Shelly smiled, knowing full well the response she would get from these two hard-headed, passionate Italians bent on retribution for Chucky and Jane. She had revenge in her own heart. “You really think this has a chance of working?”
“Look, Doc,” Sal said, “I think we can get the money. This guy and Jerry can get it on TV all over the world. Flood the magazines, newspapers, the Internet. I don’t say that because he’s my son, it's because he is good at what he does. And I believe it. We spend our lives fearing a disease, a disease that took my son, his brother. And my wife. We’ve been on cancer walks, made tons of pledges, and what happens? We get to hear doctors tell us the same thing over and over again: ‘There is nothing more we can do.’” He paused for a moment. “And every year we hear the same thing that we are closer than ever and in a few years we’ll beat it. And a few years later, we hear again: ‘There is nothing more we can do.’ I do admire your work, Dr. White, and how you can smile with a child you know won’t make it. We need more people like you. But you have to understand there is an army of us out there, and we have had it with losing the ones we love to something we should have stopped years ago. So, please take a moment and think about it. Think about all of us who want to help, who want to do something.” Sal sat back. He seemed pleased with his little speech.
“Some of the craziest ideas have changed the world,” Nick chimed in. “I’m not saying it’s perfect. But it hasn’t been done before, has it?”
“I’ll give you that,” Shelly responded.
“The world is run by greed,” said Nick. “Greed will notice a billion dollars. Every university, every bio-research company is going to take notice. It’s a billion dollars.”