Doctor Cures His Own Diagnosis

While in medical school, Dr. David Fajgenbaum was suddenly struck by Castleman disease, a rare illness that caused his organs to shut down. He nearly died several times and was told there were no treatments that could save him. Refusing to give up, he turned his own fight into a mission. Drawing on his medical training, he researched thousands of studies and medical records, looking for any drug that might already exist and could be repurposed to treat his condition. He discovered that a simple, inexpensive medication designed for a different use could also target the pathways driving Castleman disease. The drug, which costs only about $20 a month, stabilized his health—and he’s been in remission ever since. Today, his work is giving hope to countless others with the same illness and inspiring a new way of thinking about cures: sometimes the answers are already on the shelf, waiting to be found.

Image via The Philadelphia Citizen

Read other stories from the 9/29/25 newsletter:

A Father’s Viral Letter Project

Global Dressmaking Project

Young Reporters of Hope