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| Benefit for future Gustie with leukemia |
By: Richard Rohlfing
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Posted: Thursday, July 23, 2009 1:29 pm
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LE CENTER—Vincristine is a mitotic inhibitor; it prevents chromosomes from splitting into two equal sets.
Cytarabine damages DNA. Methotrexate is an anti-metabolite; specifically it interferes with the production of an enzyme that cells need to grow and reproduce.
These noxious-sounding chemicals are part of the treatment 18-year-old Le Center resident Matt Collins has received during his five-month-long battle against leukemia.
They make him nauseous, wreak havoc with his blood, trigger headaches, loss of appetite and fatigue. However, the medicines fight the disease. They are at once murderous and healing.
Midway through basketball season this year, Collins, a popular student and athlete, was having trouble with persistent fevers and bronchitis. He also tired more easily and had unusual shortness of breath going up and down the court. His regular physician referred him to a Rochester specialist, and the leukemia diagnosis was made.
More specifically, Collins is being treated for acute lymphocytic leukemia, (ALL), which results from an acquired (not inherited) genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell in the bone marrow. Even more specifically, Collins’ ALL type is “pre-B,” indicating the type of white blood cell that is diseased: a precursor to the B lymphocyte.
Since his diagnosis, Collins has had to make Rochester more or less his home. When he is not undergoing chemotherapy, he has blood checks and other tests almost daily.
Team Collins
When Collins was diagnosed with ALL last February, a core group of friends and family set out in earnest to show him support.
His CaringBridge site, religiously updated by his mother Teresa, has over 50,000 hits and almost 1700 entries in its guest book.
With the facilitation of Dave Struckman, a Le Sueuer County Sheriff Deputy,
several famous athletes have sent Collins sports memorabilia and words of encouragement. He even got a visit from Minnesota Twins great and hall-of-famer Rod Carew.
A la Lance Armstrong, some of Collins’ classmates, including Josh Farm, Jake Hertaus and Mitch Lang, helped design and sell wristbands inscribed with the words “Team Collins, Fight Forever.” The bracelet campaign has raised about $3000 so far to help the Collins family offset some of the treatment costs. “It shows we are behind him,” Mitch Lang said.
Not to be outdone by their children, the parents of some of Collins’ friends, along with other family, friends and relatives, have organized a benefit for him, which will be held on Sunday, July 26 at the Le Center American Legion Club from 3 -7 p.m. There will be a goodwill dinner, and hundreds of items have been donated for a silent auction and drawings.
“We have had a fabulous response,” said Judy Farm, one of the benefit organizers. “We have been overwhelmed with the donations. These include from business as well as individuals.”
Organizer Dan Lang said the support has been because Collins was a three-sport athlete, and his family has also been committed to the community. “People know them” he said, “and when you care about people, that’s what you do.”
For their part, Collins and his family have been in turn overwhelmed with the aid and encouragement, both from people they know and people they don’t. “Everywhere I go I see the bracelets,” he said. “It’s really cool the people are caring and thinking of me.”
“The community has gone out of its way to show support,” said father Chris Collins,” and we are grateful.”
“It makes me sad to know what Matt is going through, but it makes me happy seeing the support, said sister Bridget. “It keeps our spirit up knowing that people are thinking of us.”
While he learned a lot about fortitude as a Le Center High School athlete, most notably the football quarterback, Collins’ match with leukemia has been a new lesson. “It’s taught me a lot about perseverance and never giving up,” he said.
Collins is slated to attend Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter this fall and hopes to play football there one day. His CaringBridge site is www.caringbridge.org/visit/mattcollins.
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