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Seattle – Susan Butcher, four-time
champion of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and once the most
dominant athlete in her sport,
has been diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), a malignant
disease of the blood and bone marrow, and is undergoing chemotherapy
treatment at Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle.
Butcher’s husband, David Monson, said she was diagnosed
late last week and began treatment December 6. Butcher’s
protocol calls for several months chemotherapy. Then once the leukemia
is in remission, she probably will undergo a bone marrow transplant
if a suitable donor can be found.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the National Cancer Institute
report that about 12,000 people are diagnosed with AML every year.
About 50 cases have been reported in Alaska.
“We’ll be in Seattle for at least six months,” he
said, “and my job is to take care of Susan. Susan's job is
to not worry and focus on her healing. But we've been overwhelmed
that people want to help any way they can.”
The biggest need right now, he said, is
to find a donor whose bone marrow is compatible with Butcher’s. The hospital is
recruiting donors from her immediate family including Monson and
the couple’s two daughters, but statistically it’s
unlikely any of them will provide a match, he said.
The Blood Bank of Alaska is organizing a statewide donor drive
on December 30th to test anyone who would like to donate. The process
is a simple blood test and samples are sent to the Puget Sound
Blood Center. The matching process takes up to two months, and
those tested through the Blood Bank of Alaska are entered into
the national database for a possible match with anyone in need
of a bone marrow transplant.
GCI, Butcher’s long-time sponsor,
said it would donate funds to the Blood Bank of Alaska to help
defray testing costs for 500
people and provide for a greater pool of possible donors for Susan
and all who are afflicted with AML.
The National Marrow Donor Program says of the 5.5 million potential
donors on the national registry, the chance of a match is one in
20,000 to one in 50,000. Currently, the NMDP facilitates an average
of 200 transplants per month and more than 15,000 have donated
marrow for patients who are not a family member. The program says
once a perfect match is found, the rejection rate is less than
5 percent.
“I think people understand there’s a very small chance
their bone marrow will be a match,” Monson said, “but
someone is going to save Susan’s life through a bone marrow
donation. If they go on the register, they have the possibility
to save someone else’s life. This process is so important,
and this call for help is for everybody who needs a bone marrow
donor.”
Monson said updates on her progress will
be posted on www.susanbutcher.com. The site also will provide
a place where people can find out how
they can contribute to the family’s needs. Wells Fargo has
set up the Susan Butcher Donation Account and donations can be
made at any Wells Fargo branch in the country.
“Susan will fight this as hard as any person can,” Monson
said. “She loves her family and she loves her life. That
will be what keeps her motivated through the hard times.” |
