Giesbrecht fights cancer IF YOU want to read about lymphoma, you can look it up in a book. Or you can look into Helmut Gies- brecht’s eyes. There’s a tired, almost fragile quality to the Skeena NDP MLA now. He was diagnosed several weeks ago wilh lym- phoma, the kind of cancer that causes growths on the lymph nodes in his lower abdomen, ; : He was never a heavy person, making the 12 pounds he has lost in the last while more noticeable. And his voice is hoarse, a by-product of chemotherapy treatments which began last week. There'll be more chemo treatments over the next three to six months as Gies- brecht’s battles the disease. The MLA, 57, is over the shock of finding he has cancer and he’s now focus- sed on dealing with it. “I have every intention of running again,” replied Giesbrecht when asked if he will seek the NDP nomination in Skeena for the next provincial: election. “But first ] have this mountain to climb.” The lymphatic system is commonly known as the immune system and its job is to protect the bady by fighting disease. It consists of a network of vessels and or- gans which circulate lymph fluid through- out the bady. This fluid flows through the body’s tis- sues, recognizing and picking up infec- tious microorganisms, viruses, toxins and cancer cells. When lymphoma strikes, the tympha- tic system’s protection job shuts down and growths on the various lymph nodes occur. “This is not a growth on a single organ that can be radiated,” said Giesbrecht in MLA diagnosed with lymphoma in 50 people will be struck by it. One of those was Pittsburgh Penguin star Mario Lemieux. He returned to the game after treatment. In Giesbrecht’s case, it began with a cold toward the end of January which simply would not go away. “I just couldn't seem to shake it. I was on some other medication and one of those effects was a cough. 1 had a persistent cough which became a hacking, dry cough.” He suffered weight loss, low energy and shortness of breath - all signs there was something seriously wrong. A visit to Giesbrecht’s doctor lead to a visit to specialists and a CT scan which discovered the cancer. By April 29, Gies- brecht was well on track for treatment at Vancouver General Hospital's cancer treatment centre. “T’ve had good, positive health care throughout all of this,” he said. The one night Giesbrecht spent at Vancouver General at the beginning of his treatment program was his first over- night stay since he was nine months old in the Ukraine during the Second World War. And that was for malnutrition. “Most people don’t think too much about it unlil they are affected,” said Giesbrecht of cancer. “You have to get a handle on it and what it is and how to fight it.” “You have no choice but to climb that mountain, give it a good fight. I've hit a little bump. I have a grand daughter who is one year old. I’ve had the low and I’m beyond the shock.” Giesbrecht’s fatigue has limited his duties as an MLA but he did attend the ground-breaking last Friday in Kitimat for Helmut Giesbrecht Lymphoma facts The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 17, 2000 - A3 bs | News In Brief Biker hit on main street A LOCAL motorcyclist is suffering from a sore neck and calf museles after he was hit by a ear at the corner of Lakelse and Sparks Tuesday, May 9. The 45-year-old man Was heading eastbound on Lakelse around 4:50 p.m. when a motorist turning left from Lakelse onto Sparks struck his left side, damaging the front section of the motorcycle. The 21-year-old female driver was ticketed for an improper tum at an intersection. Smoking meet planned THE WORKERS’ Compensation Board will be halding a public meeting in Prince George June 15 1o discuss amendments to regulations to ensure workers are protected from the hazards of second hand smoke. A morning, afternoon and evening session will be held at the following times: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m, 2- > p.m., and 7-9 p.m. Those wishing to participate in the public pro- cess can do so at the public hearing or by written submission. Woman wanted for alleged assault TERRACE RCMP want to question a Rosswood woman after she allegedly assaulted her common- law husband with a knife Wednesday, May 10. RCMP say an argument between the couple started when the woman returned home around 9:30 p.m. Sometime during the argument, the woman al- legedly threatened the man with a kitchen knife. That threat lead to a struggle, which lead to the man being stabbed once in the arm, said Terrace RCMP Cnst, Jack Hundial, The man suffered a superficial wound and was not hospitalised for the incident. RCMP did seize from the home what they be- lieve was a firearm discharged as the man was leaving the home, . that community’s new hospital. “I have ‘a good staff and I’ve been told by Victoria I'll have all the support I ( The best hope to treat lymphoma is early detection. O Lymph nodes are small in size and normally can- not be felt. They are located under the jaw in the neck, Local officers have attended 43 damestic as- Saults in Terrace and the regional district to the end of April this year. talking about his cancer last week. “This : is in the lymphatic system which runs through the bady, The white blood cells run amok. There’s increased tissue inside the body in various places. In my case, it started in the abdomen.” need,” he said. Giesbrecht will either spend time at home in Terrace between rounds of che- motherapy or, depending upon how he at.the base of the neck or above the collarbone, urider the arms, through the chest, in the abdomen or in the groin. : Libs get their man (1 A doctor should be seen for any lymph node that remains swollen for more than two weeks, especially if it is painless. It is also importnat to see a doctor if unex- plained fatigue, fever, night sweats or weight loss oc- curs. () There are two types of lymphoma — Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's, Hodgkin’s accounts for only about 15 per BULKLEY VALLEY-Stikine riding Liberals have chosen a former RCMP staff sergeant as their can- didate for the next provincial election. Dennis MacKay was selected by acclamation at a meeting attended by 100 people in Smithers. MacKay will take a leave of absence from his duties as coroner in the Smithers area for the dura- Along with chemo, Giesbrecht had a bone marrow biopsy done last week. Those results will help determine. the exact nature of the treatment which needs to be done for him to overcome his dis- ease. feels, working in Victoria. Despite Giesbrecht’s very public job as a politician, he’s very private and hapes there’s not a lot made about his condition. When asked about the contrast be- tween his job of helping people with their “E felt better than I had for three’ weeks,” said Giesbrecht of the period after his first chemo treatment. “The anly treatment is chemo. If you have to have one of the bad ones, this. is the least of the bad.” Ma There’s no known? cuiisé’ of" lymphoma” prablems when he has a major one of his own, he said he wasn’t sure if people would be interested in listening to his si- tuation. First ‘elecied in 1991, Giesbrecht was re-elected in 1996;-He-also faced — and cent of all the lymphomas. Non-Hodgkin’s is the fifth most frequently diagnosed cancer in both men and women. ( In non-Hodgins lymphoma, diet and lifestyle can be modified in attempts to reduce the risk. * Q Some people may be more sensitive to risk factors, lion of his candidacy. He also owns a private in- vestigation firm, MacKay said his first task as candidate is to show residents the importance of not splitting the vote among small parties which, he said, was how . the NDP. were elected in 1996, .. defeated ~ a deal campaign aimed He conducted a private referendum last fall, agains im in 1998, finding that 93 per cent of 1,400 respondents were opposed to the Nisga’a Treaty. than other, and in many casés, cancer simply develops sand it’s not hereditary. Approximately 1 ‘just because’ FORD F-SERIES ~~ DO YOU SLEEPON THE - WORST MATTRESS IN THE NORTH OLD, LUMPY, BUMPY, BROKEN DOWN. TOTALLY OVER THE HILL WHAT'S THE CATCH? 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