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Dakota Midday: Cancer Research

Sanford Health

Next week, SDPB-TV airs the latest Ken Burns documentary, Cancer the Emperor of All Maladies. The three-part, six-hour series covers the first documented appearances of cancer thousands of years ago through today’s battles to cure, control and conquer the disease.

Sanford Health is among the institutes involved in cancer research and treatment. Last year, The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health gave Sanford Health more than seven million dollars for cancer research. The five year grant is for recruiting participants for clinical trials, quality of life studies and cancer care delivery research. It was one of 53 awarded nationwide through the institute’s Community Oncology Research Program.

Dr. David Pearce is the president of Sanford Research. He also directs Sanford’s Children’s Health Research Center and runs the Pearce Lab which studies the genetically inherited diseases of children, with a focus on Batten Disease. He joined Dakota Midday and discussed some of the latest news in cancer research.

Karl was born to northeastern South Dakota crouton farmers, but was orphaned as a toddler during the Great Salad War (1966-67). Rescued by a flock of chickadees, he grew up in the woodlands of Sica Hollow. Legends of a bird boy living in the trees attracted the interest of renowned ornithologist and amateur bandoneon repairman Dr. Vogel Gehrke. With a handful of suet, Dr. Gehrke coaxed the timid boy down from the trees. He adopted him, named him Karl and taught him not to molt on the carpet. Dr. Gehrke’s book, The Bird Boy of Sica Hollow, was a best seller and Karl became a minor celebrity and teen idol. He appeared as a guest star on numerous television programs, most notably an awkward role on The Love Boat as the boyfriend of Captain Stubing’s daughter, Vicki. After critics panned his 1980 album, Bird Boy Does Disco, Karl retreated from public life and returned to Sica Hollow. Living in an isolated tree house, Karl achieved a reputation as a mystic. Pilgrims and seekers from around the world came to ask him about the meaning of life and for vinaigrette recipes. Growing tired of answering questions, he climbed down from his tree, shaved his massive white beard and took a job as the host of SDPB Radio’s Dakota Midday where he could ask the questions instead. After three years in that position, he ran out of questions and became host of Jazz Nightly instead. Karl makes his home in Vermillion with his charming wife Kari and three delightful children, Kodey, Kasey and Spatula. His hobbies include reciting the alphabet, combing his hair and doing volunteer work with delinquent songbirds.