In medicine, hope can often be just as powerful as any treatment. This is especially true in the inspiring story of Mr Wright, shared by Bruno Klopfer in the Journal of Projective Techniques in 1957. Mr Wright was battling a serious form of cancer called lymphosarcoma, which had caused many painful tumours in his body. Doctors believed he had very little time left to live—possibly just a week.

A Desperate Hope to get well

Despite his grim situation, Mr Wright was determined to fight for his life. He had heard about a new drug called Krebiozen, and he believed it could save him. “I want to live,” he told his doctor, Dr. West, pleading for the treatment. Unfortunately, Krebiozen was only available in clinical trials for patients expected to live for at least three months. Since Mr. Wright was too sick to qualify, he felt hopeless. But Mr Wright refused to give up. “I know it can help me,” he repeatedly told Dr. West until the doctor finally agreed to give him Krebiozen.

The Miraculous Turnaround

What happened next when the Doctor injected him? A few days later, Dr. West found Mr. Wright walking around the hospital. “The tumour masses had melted like snowballs on a hot stove,” Dr West described, shocked to see that the tumours had shrunk significantly. After just ten days of treatment, Mr Wright left the hospital, free of cancer and full of life. The inspiring story of Mr Wright did not end here.

For the next two months, Mr. Wright felt fantastic and praised Krebiozen as a miracle drug. “I knew it would work!” he told friends and family, celebrating his health and spirit.

The Dark Turn

However, this happiness didn’t last long. Soon, medical articles began to question the effectiveness of Krebiozen, reporting that it might not work at all. Mr Wright, who had put his faith in the drug, was devastated. “If it doesn’t work, then what hope do I have?” he said, falling into a deep depression, and sadly, his cancer returned.

Dr Wright played a trick

In a desperate bid to help Mr. Wright, Dr. West took a risky approach. He told Mr. Wright that some of the original Krebiozen had degraded during shipping and that he now had a new batch of “highly concentrated, ultra-pure” Krebiozen. “This is the real deal,” he assured Mr. Wright, who was filled with hope again. Dr. West injected him with nothing but distilled water. Incredibly, this trick worked! Mr Wright’s tumours shrank again, fluid in his chest disappeared, and he felt great for another two months. He was back to saying, “I knew it would work!” The inspiring story of Mr Wright continued to surprise everyone.

The Final Blow

Unfortunately, the joy didn’t last. The American Medical Association publicly announced the results of a nationwide study proving Krebiozen was ineffective. With this news, Mr. Wright lost all faith in his treatment. “What hope do I have?” he cried out in despair, and tragically, his cancer returned one last time, leading to his death just two days later.

Mr. Wright’s initial recovery from cancer after receiving Krebiozen highlights the critical role of belief in the placebo effect. When Mr. Wright started treatment, he believed that Krebiozen would save his life. This deep-seated hope and expectation likely played a significant role in his remarkable improvement. Research has shown that when patients have a strong belief that a treatment will work, their brain may produce physiological changes that aid in healing, even if the treatment itself is inactive. The inspiring story of Mr Wright exemplifies this phenomenon.

What is the Placebo Effect? The placebo effect is the phenomenon where a patient experiences a real improvement in their health or symptoms after receiving a treatment that has no therapeutic value, typically because they believe it will help them. This effect highlights the role of psychological factors, such as expectations and beliefs, in influencing physical health outcomes.

Cycle of Optimism and Despair

As Mr. Wright’s faith in Krebiozen waned following the announcement that the drug was ineffective, his health deteriorated rapidly. This reflects the cyclical nature of the placebo effect: a firm belief can lead to positive outcomes, while the loss of that belief can contribute to declines in health. When Mr Wright learned the drug was deemed worthless, this shattered his hope and may have contributed significantly to the resurgence of his cancer.

What the story finally says

Mr. Wright’s story is a powerful reminder of how hope can profoundly affect our lives, even in the face of illness. It highlights the ethical challenges doctors face when trying to instil hope in their patients. While Mr. Wright’s belief in Krebiozen led to remarkable moments of recovery, it also underscores the vulnerability of patients who place their trust in medical treatments. The inspiring story of Mr Wright is a testament to the power of hope.

As we reflect on this journey, we can remember the words of Mr. Wright: “I want to live.” His fighting spirit serves as an example of the human desire to hold on to hope, even when things seem hopeless. This inspiring story of Mr Wright serves as a critical point for understanding how human psychology plays a role in medicine, emphasizing the importance of fostering hope and positive patient-physician relationships in healthcare.