Clinical Trials Research: Inspiring and Saving Lives Every Day
websitebuilder • November 7, 2019
Nicholas’s life appeared to be the American dream: loving wife, two young boys and a successful business of his own. But when diabetes started slowing him down and taking over his health, and ultimately his life, he contemplated giving up.
“Diabetes caught up to me and started putting a hurtin’ on me, to the point where I was unable to do a lot of the necessary tasks of my trade,” he said.
But he didn’t let the disease defeat him that easily.
Nicholas is just one of more than 1,000 patients who turned to Clinical Trials Research (CTR) for life-saving help and found not only treatment and knowledge to control his disease, but also a staff who truly cared about helping him heal – inside and out.
“If it wasn’t for the studies and the help from Dr. Wayne and the staff here, I don’t think I would be here right now,” said Nicholas.
More Than Medication
Nicholas is just one of the more than 30 million Americans who live with diabetes.
“It’s a huge problem,” said Dr. Jeff Wayne, CTR’s Principal Investigator. “One of our roles at Clinical Trials Research is to fight this epidemic of diabetes. It’s just taking over this country.”
When Nicholas came to CTR, he found more than just a research facility running tests and collecting data. He found a small and caring team of professionals who not only supplied him with warm greetings and in-depth conversations but also medication, education and advice on getting his life back on track.
“Nick had diet issues; his weight was a problem. His blood sugars were way out of control,” said Dr. Wayne. “Nick and I had a very serious conversation. I said, ‘Nick, you’ve hit a fork in the road. If you keep going on like this, your quality of life is going to get worse and worse, and you’re going to die younger. We have to make some different decisions right now.’”
And Nicholas listened.
“Dr. Wayne and I had many talks, and he was able to point out my assets and let me take a look at my boys and really change that for me, and that started the journey,” he said. “I started dieting and challenging myself to get up and do something around the house, no matter how painful it was. I kept pushing myself because of my boys and my wife. My boys are my inspiration.”
The Path to Healthy Living
As Nicholas started dealing with his disease through food and exercise, CTR also enrolled him in a diabetes trial to find new medications to help him and others with diabetes find relief from the painful disease.
Now, thanks to his personal dedication to himself and his family, along with the motivation and support from CTR, Nicholas has hope.
“We were able to pay a lot of attention to his condition and really focus in on it and help him through this,” said Dr. Wayne. “He’s a changed man. It’s wonderful. It’s a pleasure for me to see this.”
Dr. Wayne takes his job personally – not just because he knows that clinical research can change and save many lives, but because he too is in the process of healing.
“Probably half of all adult Americans have some kind of cardiovascular disease. I’m one of them,” he said.
When he helps treat others with similar coronary issues, cardiovascular conditions and risks that could lead to further coronary problems, he shares his story with them to inspire them and give them hope for better days.
“Don’t do what I did,” Dr. Wayne said. “Don’t wait – take it seriously. Make some changes now, and have a good quality of life. I can really relate, and I think that does help me connect with them.”
“Less is more” may not be the mantra of many large clinical research centers, but Clinical Trials Research (CTR) in the greater Sacramento area has proven that big results can come from smaller teams. CTR is a private research site that performs clinical studies in a more personal and approachable manner. They accomplish this by treating fewer patients per day and spending more time educating and talking to volunteers than typically larger public centers would. For nearly 30 years, CTR’s small team has greeted more than 1,000 volunteers with smiles and provided answers to their many questions and concerns along the way. The center’s small business approach eases the fears of many patients who already have enough to worry about.
Without clinical research trials, many of the lifesaving medications available today simply would not exist.
Clinical Trials Research (CTR) is destigmatizing the process for research volunteers, who may fear becoming “Guinea pigs,” by providing individualized care and education along the way and minimizing risk to patients.
“The number one concern is do no harm,” said Robyn Lawrie, a nurse practitioner at CTR. “We would never do anything to ever hurt you.”
Since 2000, CTR studies have helped approve more than 200 medications with the help of over 1,000 patient volunteers, and the clinic has maintained its reputation for quality care and volunteer attention.
Like many women, Tamara Alton felt trapped by her menopause symptoms and was unable to function during hot flashes. But everything changed when the working mother of four took a chance and enrolled in a research study through Clinical Trials Research (CTR).
