SPONSORED: All of Us study looking for participants to help treat individuals

While many people may have the same type of cancer, the same treatment might not always work. In this month's Buddy Check 13, we're learning about a growing study that hopes to change how individuals are specifically treated.

“My personal reason is my grandfather and father both died of a form of leukemia,” said Matt Schneider of Chippewa Falls. “That's always been in the back of my mind that that may be in my future.”

Today, Matt is taking a big step. He's joining one of the largest studies ever attempted called All of Us. The study is an effort to help researchers with precision medicine, which seeks to find the best treatment for the individual, not the disease.

“So far, cancer is one of the most used areas of precision medicine,” said Lisa Kunst, the Senior Project Manager for All of Us Wisconsin. “We want to make sure when we're treating people we're more likely to get it right the first time. If we can look at genetic factors, environment, and lifestyle, if we can look at all of that before we give a person a treatment, we're more likely to get it right the first time and not waste time trying different things.”

Part of the study's goal is to get 1 million people, no matter their health or location, enrolled in the study. Wisconsin just received a grant to join in 2017, but enrollment began only a few months ago in Chippewa Falls.

“We're looking for diversity: so having rural people, so having people who are older, typically people who are not included in biomedical research,” Kunst added.

Kunst is hoping to get as many people signed up in our area, in the next four years.

“Taking care of myself is one thing, but to help provide info to a study like this, so that maybe somebody can figure something out that might help others is kind of a big deal to me,” Matt added.

Kunst said they're looking for a commitment of 5 to 10 years, with questionnaires released periodically. Anyone is welcome to join and participants do not have to receive their care at Marshfield Clinic. To learn more or to sign up go to joinallofus.org. You can also contact them at (888) 633-9987, allofus@marshfieldresearch.org, or find them on social media @allofusmchs.

This segment is sponsored by Marshfield Clinic Health System.