Posted: 3/3/04
By Danielle Strenke
Whenever Chris Hunter let herself think of what would happen if one of her four boys died, she always assumed it would be a tragic accident, like in a vehicle. She never dreamed her second youngest son would die of cancer.
Blaine Hunter was a month shy of his 18th birthday when he died in August 2002. He was diagnosed earlier in the year with t-cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer that attacks the lymph glands.
Before that, he was a healthy teenager in his junior year at North Branch High School.
Blaine was admitted to a hospital after becoming ill from antibiotics prescribed to combat what doctors thought was a simple infection. He was treated and released, but admitted again days later when his blood count was low. A biopsy of his lymph gland discovered the cancer.
Chris said the cancer was so aggressive that it spread quickly through Blaineís body. ìHis neck was swollen, his spleen was enlarged,î she said. ìThey werenít sure he was going to make it because he was so sick.î
But Blaine did make it through the first six weeks of chemotherapy and his doctors said the cancer was in remission. ìHe was doing great,î Chris said.
A week before he was scheduled for another bone marrow test, Blaine started feeling tired again. They found the cancer had spread to his brain.
Blaine was treated with radiation and more chemotherapy.
During an MRI on his stomach, doctors just happened to spot a fungal pneumonia in Blaineís lung. He was on his second day of antibiotics when he passed away August 20, 2002. Earlier that day, an MRI had shown that the cancer in Blaineís brain was completely gone.
Chris said the hardest part was hearing how well Blaineís doctors thought he was doing. ìThey said if you have to get cancer, lymphoma is the cancer to get because itís so treatable,î she said.
Life will never be the same, but the Hunter family did receive and continues to receive support from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through its chapter in Minnesota.
At the onset of Blaineís disease, Chris started researching lymphoma through the Society and soon began to receive support from other families. ìThey have a program where you can talk with people who have been through it,î Chris said. ìThey were very supportive.î
She said the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society also offers financial support for medical bills and other things like transportation to those who are in need.
Fortunately, Chris said, the majority of their medical bills were covered by insurance so they didnít take advantage of the program. ìWe didnít want to use it because we know there are so many other people out there who really need it,î Chris said.
When Chris heard that Jacobson Elementary in Rush City raised money recently for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Societyís Pennies for Patients program, she wanted to send the students a message.
ìItís important for kids to know that this cancer is out there and we need to find a cure,î she said. ìItís a wonderful thing that theyíre doing.î
Chris said her two nephews attend Jacobson Elementary, and it was difficult for them to understand what was happening to Blaine.
Last Wednesday, fourth graders Isaac Johnson, Trista Sarago and Matthew Strenke, along with administrative assistant Kim Sarago, accompanied 217 pounds of pennies to be counted at First State Bank of Rush City.
The pennies ñ and also come silver coins and bills ñ were collected over a three week period as part of an annual fundraiser at Jacobson for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The three students were selected for the trip because they are top math students in their respective classes. On the way to the bank, Sarago was quizzing the students to figure out how many dollars they would have, based on the 151-pennies-per-pound statistic.
After the three math whizzes couldnít come up with 217 times 151 in their heads, Sarago set them to the task with paper and pencil at the bank while they were waiting for the coin machine to count their pennies. All three brought in their own pennies during the drive.
When the pennies were finally counted, Jacobson topped last yearís total of $314 with $406.10 raised for the Society this year.
All three students said it was important to find a cure for these diseases and it made them feel good to be able to help. Chris Hunter would be the first to tell the students that every penny counts when youíre waiting for a cure.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has provided more than $358 million since 1949 for research specifically targeting blood-related cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkinís disease and myeloma. More than 12 million schools nationwide have participated in the Pennies for Patients program since its incepction in 1993.
For more information on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Minnesota, call (888) 220-4440 or visit its Web site, www.leukemia-lymphoma.org.
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