"Catch as many as you can," our mother instructed, distributing to each of my eight sisters, brother, and myself a glass jar and handmade nets for those inclined. Ranging in age from five to fifteen, we eagerly ventured into our backyard. We were ready to embark on a quest to capture fireflies, or 'lightning bugs' as we affectionately dubbed them. Our objective was two-fold: a singular penny awarded for each firefly ensnared, and the selfless purpose of supplying a St. Louis-based research laboratory with live specimens for their cancer-related investigations. Evidently, these ethereal insects possessed a unique luminescence containing elusive chemical compounds that held the potential to treat, and perhaps even cure, certain forms of malignancy.
In the year 1975, our little sister, a mere two years old, was afflicted with Wilms tumor, a malignant growth affecting her kidneys. With indomitable spirit, she courageously endured a grueling regimen of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, achieving a state of remission by the year 1981. It was around this time that news of the firefly study reached our mothers ears. Motivated by an unwavering desire to contribute to the quest for a cure, should the cancer resurface, and lured by the prospect of a modest pecuniary reward for indulging in penny candy, we embraced the opportunity wholeheartedly.
With tender care, each firefly we captured was delicately released into the jar, promptly secured with a well-fitted lid adorned with small holes for ventilation. By the late evening, an impressive tally of five hundred of these mesmerizing insects had been collected. We carefully transferred our bright captives into a specially designed brown canister, engineered to sustain their vitality within the cool confines of our refrigerator. A sense of profound accomplishment resonated within us.
Shortly thereafter, a modest sum of five dollars materialized in our mailbox, a tangible token of appreciation for our collective efforts. Regrettably, our elation was somewhat tempered by the subsequent deduction of a two-dollar fee for the canister, leaving us with a net amount of three dollars. To the best of our knowledge, the bioluminescence effects of fireflies have not yet yielded any curative breakthroughs, and it is quite plausible that research endeavors involving them persist even now.
