TheBody story by Tim Murphy
Loreen Willenberg passed away in the Sacramento, California, area on April 6 at age 71. She will be remembered — particularly among HIV researchers and activists — for being one of only three known people in the world whose body seemed to eradicate HIV with no help from antiretrovirals. Ever.
Before her death—caused by lung cancer that spread to her brain—she gave science the enormous gift of her own body. She did so throughout much of her adult life by volunteering for an endless series of medical studies, and she extended that donation past her death through the Last Gift Study. That choice will allow scientists to continue searching for clues as to why her body had an extraordinary natural HIV-squelching ability, which made her what researchers call an “exceptional elite controller.” This mystery has fascinated researchers for years—and if they can crack it, it might reveal a pathway to a functional cure for the rest of us, who can only suppress HIV through lifelong treatment.
Read the full story here.
Source : TheBody
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