Lots happening this week - got our moment of glory tomorrow, in front of a genzyme global audience.  Are we prepared - absolutely, as much as we can be.  Are we shitting it - maybe just a little, hey we wouldn't be human if we weren't.

Anyway, big moments like this reminded me of a conversation I had with one of "high heed yins" here at the office.  We were talking about a couple of "bet the company" moments and what it might feel like before, during and after these kind of events.

The event in question was from Genzyme's early beginnings.  They had found a cure for a certain disease, demonstrated that it was 100% effective but at the time, had no idea whether people could afford it or in fact were even prepared to pay for it.  The disease in question killed most infants within their first year - so this truly was a life-saving discovery.   Should they wait until they had a clear market engagement strategy..? - which is what the board advisors suggested.  Or should they just get out there, recognizing that it was the right thing to do and worry about getting paid later..?  

I think most of us would say - let's get out there.  Which is in fact what they did...Each of the seniors had to choose a global destination, buy a plane ticket and go find some people and establish a treatment centre.  Now that's what I call entrepreneurial marketing.

The rest as they say is history...The results speak for themselves. 

All 7,000 of them and counting.  Not patients - but people.  They now laugh and cry, they hope and dream.  They have family and friends who love them.  And most of all - they now lead a normal life....  

That's why genzyme does what it does.  Which is why I'm sure it will continue to have these "bet the company moments" as it strives to help more and more people lead normal lives.