BREATH FROM SALT
by Bijal P. Trivedi
GUEST REVIEWER
In Breath from Salt, Bijal P. Trivedi takes what could have been a slog through scientific detail and creates a fascinating read by weaving the medical research together with the stories of real families desperate to find a cure for cystic fibrosis (CF), a congenital disease that kills most of its victims before they reach adulthood. The reader learns the details of how the cure was found through a combination of decades-long research looking for the causes of, and potential treatments for, the disease with the support of determined parents who fundraised hundreds of millions of dollars towards that research.
For me, the author’s ability to explain the evolving scientific research on how CF attacks its victims’ lungs in the context of the human stories of families made Breath from Salt truly compelling. From the hunt for the mutated gene that causes CF, to the search for a treatment, including early breakthroughs and setbacks, Bijal builds suspense and emotion in the reader. Joe and Kathy O’Donnell, who served as the through-line for the parents’ side of the story, are the parents of our daughters’ friends. This definitely added to the poignancy of Bijal’s book. Their dedication, first to trying to save their son Joey’s life, and then to raising millions of dollars towards research for a cure for more than 25 years, left me inspired and amazed.
That the doctors’ and scientists’ and parents’ dedication and hard work resulted in finding a cure for CF, feels miraculous and uplifting. In this year when we’ve all felt the impact of COVID-19, the success story of a CF cure that Bijal so beautifully describes in Breath from Salt, leaves the reader with hope and optimism for a future where medical breakthroughs continue to happen and all interested parties work together towards that goal.
Rufus King is Chief Legal Officer at OpenView Venture Partners in Boston and a graduate of Harvard Law School, Magdalen College at Oxford University and Dartmouth College. Dedicated father of four, father-in-law to two and grandfather to three, the editors at L&L feel fortunate to include his review.
