Double alumnus Arthur Ainsberg talks to Baruch College Alumni Magazine editor in chief Diane Harrigan about his love of history and his new book, Breakthrough: Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle, co-authored with Thea Cooper.
BCAM: When did you become interested in history?
Ainsberg: History has always intrigued me. I loved taking history courses, and my bookshelves at home are filled with American history titles. Because of my personal experience with Hodgkin’s disease, I also cultivated an interest in medical history. The story behind Breakthrough is a perfect example of how riveting history can be.
BCAM: Breakthrough was seven years in the making. Please tell us a bit about that journey and the New York Times article that inspired the book.
Ainsberg: In 2003 I read a fascinating four-page article in the New York Times about how the discovery of insulin saved the life of Elizabeth Hughes, daughter of Charles Evans Hughes, one of the most famous U.S. politicians of the early 20th century. I was immediately drawn in, and I knew that this story would translate into a compelling book.
The story behind the discovery is filled with drama, disappointment, determination, and triumph. I was moved, and I wanted to share it with the world. Several years later, I shared this history with my co-author, Thea Cooper, and we quickly developed a book plan.
BCAM: What’s your favorite part of the book?
Ainsberg: There are so many parts of this book that I absolutely love. If I have to choose a scene that stands out for me, I would say it is the November 1922 meeting of the men who had dedicated their lives to the study of diabetes. In attendance were Frederick Madison Allen (Elizabeth Hughes’s doctor before insulin was available) and Elliott Joslin, two of the most respected endocrinologists of the time. These doctors had, for decades, watched their patients die. But on that day, Elizabeth stood before them, a girl who should have died but was now emerging as a healthy young woman. She represented the breakthrough that completely changed what it meant to receive or to give a diagnosis of diabetes. What once meant certain death now did not.
BCAM: Describe the similarities between your case and Elizabeth Hughes’s.
Ainsberg: I feel a special connection with Elizabeth and to this story because of my own experience battling cancer. Both Elizabeth and I were given a diagnosis that had been for thousands of years fatal. For Elizabeth, it was diabetes; for me, it was Hodgkin’s disease. I was diagnosed in 1975 at the age of 28. Just over a decade earlier, that diagnosis would have been a death sentence. Just like for Elizabeth, a new mode of treatment saved my life. When I read her story, I see myself. It is very emotional for me. I know how grateful she was for her life, grateful to Frederick Banting and the rest of the discovery team and to her family.
BCAM: When I was learning about Breakthrough, I couldn’t help but think about your first book. Could you tell us a bit about Shackleton: Leadership Lessons from Antarctica?
Ainsberg: Shackleton was published in 2008. It examines explorer Ernest Shackleton’s actions during the famous Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–17 (known best by the name of his ship, the Endurance). As the title suggests, the book gleans important lessons from his heroic actions.
BCAM: Elizabeth Hughes and Ernest Shackleton both seem like heroes. Do you see similarities?
Ainsberg: Elizabeth Hughes and Ernest Shackleton do have common characteristics. Both were extremely courageous and survived against incredible odds. Hughes was told she was going to die when she was just a child. Still, she kept such a positive attitude. She had a strong spirit, pushed through, and was rewarded in the end with a new lease on life. Shackleton led a doomed expedition to Antarctica where he faced conditions that seemed impossible to survive and could easily break a person physically and mentally. But he was able to keep his crew’s spirits intact and lead his men to safety.
Hughes was such a brave child. She was given a fatal diagnosis but never gave up hope that she might live, even going so far as to cultivate interests and hobbies that she could enjoy from bed when she was too weak to stand.
BCAM: For whom did you and Thea write this book?
Ainsberg: There are currently 23.6 million people in the United States living with diabetes, many completely dependent on insulin to stay alive. We wanted to tell this story in a way that would make it vibrant for those who owe their lives to this discovery but also for those who just love a great read.
BCAM: What do you hope readers take away from Breakthrough?
Ainsberg: We all can learn a lot about perseverance from Breakthrough’s cast of real-life characters.
I’ve talked about Elizabeth Hughes already, but the book also goes into great detail about the enormous obstacles the discovery team had to overcome throughout the research process. They never wavered in their belief that they could turn an idea into reality. And because of that, millions of lives were saved. We are still very much indebted to these men today.
Finally, I want people to come away from Breakthrough motivated to live a fulfilling life and to help others live a fulfilling life.
BCAM: What feedback have you received?
Ainsberg: The reviews have been very positive so far. We’ve already received praise from an extremely diverse readership—from leading endocrinologists like Dr. Ken Quickel at Joslin Diabetes Center to publications like Forbes and Publisher’s Weekly. Most reviewers appreciate the dramatic story behind the discovery, which often goes unrecognized today.
BCAM: You published a book in 2008 and 2010, and you are currently COO for Lehman Brothers Inc. in liquidation bankruptcy. In addition, you serve as a board member for two large public companies: Nomura Securities Inc. and National Financial Partners Corp. You’ve also been on the board of The Baruch College Fund for 15 years. Where do you get your boundless energy?
Ainsberg: One thing I’ve learned is that life is short. I really do make the most of each day because I recognize it as a gift. I want to accomplish my goals, and I’m willing to push forward to do that. Also, the occasional espresso doesn’t hurt!
To learn more about Breakthrough, click here.