The Patient Advocate for PGx | PGX for Pharmacists

According to the American Association for Cancer Research, 80-90% of the administered dose of the cancer medication 5-fluorouracil of 5FU is degraded by the enzyme dihydropyridine dehydrogenase or DPD for short. (https://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/5/8/2006). According to the Institute of Safe Medication Practices (www.ismp.org/resources/screening-dihydropyrimidine-dehydrogenase-dpd-deficiency-fluorouracil-patients-why-not) the incidence of DPD deficiency is low like 1-7% of the population but the consequences can be unfortunately fatal for those few.  Christina Delsoldato, wife and mom of 3 beautiful children has spent most of her life laughing and loving as much as she can. Christina has built a successful professional career in hospitality, customer service and sales. Christina has faced many obstacles and traumatic events during her life. Christina took her mother’s quickly declining health into her own hands. Despite having no clinical and medical background, she spent countless nights reading, learning and researching to find answers. These efforts and findings are what allowed her beloved mother to come home to spend her last days on earth surrounded with the love and support of her closest family. Since her mother’s diagnosis with Pancreatic Cancer and 5FU toxicity, Christina has become determined to help guide others to self-educate, research and ask questions about potential life-threatening side effects that could indeed be prevented and/or reversed. Tragically, only three months after her mom passed away, her father died suddenly. Christina is on a mission to empathize and advocate not just for her family, but for anyone in need.