Why I Do This - Kathleen Greenough

My reason for working at 4G ultimately comes down to connections. Not only connecting patients and clients to great solutions but also fostering a supportive community. I came to 4G Clinical after over a decade working at a much larger organization. For my next position, I wanted to have more of an impact. The decision to join this team came down to having the chance to build an environment that is fun while also meaningful.

We were a new company when I joined back in 2016, so I couldn’t help but have an impact on the emerging company culture. Working for a startup company is no joke, but the challenge was what motivated me and inspired each decision I made. Here was a chance to really build something unique. Amazingly, my role was to translate individual client needs into requirements. This gave me the opportunity to connect their dots, to influence how we solve their problems, and to help develop a great solution for their RTSM needs.

But the connections made within 4G…those were even more special. In my first year, I wasn’t so much on the front line as I was the only line. Looking back, it was tough, and the friendships we made in that crucible will last my lifetime.

And that was just the beginning.

Once 4G Clinical’s solutions hit the market, our focus extended to building a community of users. Here was our chance to take the company’s passion out into the world and spend time with our clients, building relationships and learning what we could do to accelerate their work. Since I got into life sciences at the turn of the century (literally – I started in this industry in January 2000), I have been addicted to the energy of this sector. Life sciences is composed of people who really care about making patient lives better while also genuinely caring for each and every one of their industry peers. Throughout my experience in this field, I’ve witnessed a network of support unlike any other. All those little moments of supporting one another, learning about each other, and making each other laugh – these are the connections we got to build as our client base grew.

So what were we doing with this client base we’ve built? Connecting those clients to solutions. We solve puzzles every day, and it’s so satisfying to talk through what a client is trying to achieve, to design an elegant solution that makes the system easy for sites to use while also empowering sponsors. To this day, I still get excited by what our teams continue to deliver.

Beneath all this collaboration we never forget what these therapies are doing. In the 9+ years since I joined 4G Clinical, I have read countless clinical trial protocols, and I have yet to tire of them. I believe I will always be fascinated by the science behind clinical trials and its impact on humanity’s quality of life.

About 18 months ago, the science got really personal. We all have family members and friends who are affected by disease at some point, and I’m no exception. For example, I still struggle to work on Alzheimer's studies without getting distracted thinking about my dad. And then I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

I couldn’t believe it. With every indication I worked on, I’d have that moment of, Huh, do I have that? Quickly followed by, Nah, of course not. Even after I was initially diagnosed by my doctor, there was a fairly long period of denial afterward, even though I had a formal verdict of Yes, I do have that. I remembered working on Crohn’s studies and seeing quality of life scores that looked dreadful. I don’t know if I was lucky or not to have an inkling of what I was in for.

On the bright side, I knew what amazing research was and still is being pursued in IBD, so hope was easy to come by. There are a bevy of possibilities out there for me to try until I find the therapy that works for me. In my pursuit of finding the therapy for me, my experience in life sciences has actually helped guide my journey forward. In fact, I chose my GI doctor because his practice participates in clinical research, so I knew I’d have access to the latest breakthroughs. As fate would have it, I’m now considering joining a trial myself. Someone who has spent years poring over procedural documents for these studies could end up in the patient’s position for once. However, the biggest downside in my mind is that I will only see the informed consent form and not get to read the whole protocol, and I don’t know if my curiosity can handle that!

Looking back, while my 25+ years in life sciences is helping me navigate my disease, I'd love doing this no matter what. All these connections I’ve been able to make, internal and external alike, help me to feel that what I'm doing has an impact on the people around me and the broader world. What a wonderful gift to feel like I’m doing my part to make a difference.