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The passing away of former Earthlink CEO Garry Betty is a difficult and tumultuous time for his family, relatives and colleagues. But his battle against cancer and the untimely death this has brought forward opens a new chapter in health and medicine that has the potential to save millions.
In November 2006, Garry stepped down as chief executive of Earthlink after being diagnosed with a "serious form of cancer". He died a month later at a young age of 49.
Gary used the challenges brought upon him while fighting the disease to help others through the formation of The Gary Betty Foundation.
The foundation's mission is to fund important areas of cancer research such as the initial triggers of the disease and seeks not only a treatment, but also a cure for cancer.
According to the 501(c)(3) organization's website thegarybettyfoundation.org, recent developments in cancer research indicate that most cancers are caused by mutations in specific genes that normally control cell growth within a given organ.
"These genes are responsible for signaling pathways that regulate cell type and reproduction. The gene mutation disrupts the normal signaling, resulting in abnormal cancer cells that grow unregulated," the website pointed out.
"While most chemotherapies are effective at killing 99.99% of the cells within a tumor, current data suggests that the therapy does not target the systemic cause of the disease - the formation of the unregulated cancer cells that remain in the patient, preventing cure and allowing for recurrence," it added.
The Garry Betty Foundation is committed to funding the next critical step in cancer research - understanding how this mutation results in cancer cells and to develop treatment alternatives that address this root cause of the disease.
A Leader Sorely Missed
Garry took the helm as CEO of Earthlink in 1996. Under his leadership, the company grew from a small regional, Internet service provider to one of the largest nationwide, with more than 5 million subscribers and $1.29 billion in 2005 revenue.
He was instrumental in spearheading and executing most of EarthLink's major milestones: taking the company public; forming the strategic alliance with Sprint, which unequivocally put EarthLink on the map from both an industry and financial perspective; merging the company with long-time competitor MindSpring; bringing the company to profitability; creating Helio, the joint venture with SK-Telecom; and transforming the company into a total communications provider, offering data, voice and wireless access services.
In 1993, he was named the Georgia Institute of Technology's Young Alumnus of the Year, and was included on the "Top 40 Under 40" list in Atlanta's business community. In 1999 he was listed as one of Upside Magazine's "Elite 100."
Garry was awarded the annual Technology Leadership Award given by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce in 2001. Three years later, he was named one of the Most Influential Atlantans by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. He was inducted into the Georgia Technology Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2006, Garry won an Alabama/Georgia/Tennesee Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Honoree for Entrepreneurial Excellence.
Earthlink's Further Mission
Earthlink competes with an array of large telecommunications and cable companies including AT&T, Verizon Communications and Comcast. The company sells dial-up internet access, high-speed access over digital subscriber lines, satellite Internet access, and through a deal with Time Warner cable Internet service.
They also sell Internet-based phone service in 12 cities across the United States. Earthlink co-owns Helio, a virtual wireless phone service operating on Sprint Nextel's network, with South Korea's SK Telecom.
The company has built metropolitan Wi-Fi networks in New Orleans and Philadelphia, and is proposing to build a network in San Francisco with Google.
Today, Earthlink not only leads the Internet industry in the United States, it also staunchly supports the endeavor taken by its former chief to fight an extraordinary battle.
Join Evan and Kari on Greater Good TV, January 2007 at 4:30 p.m. on KGMB 9. Greater Good Radio airs every Saturday and Wednesday on 1420 AM and online at www.greatergoodradio.com
With reports from sciencedaily.com and forbes.com
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