Walter Payton

[Guest guest]

After reading the notes sent in about Walter Payton being taken off the

transplant list arbitrarily, I wanted to shed some light on the subject. Maybe

since he was a prominent Chicago athletic and had adopted Chicago as his home

even after he retired from football, the media was extremely generous in the

time allotted to giving him tributes.

After going to Mayo for treatment and a transplant, the doctors discovered he

had cholangeocarcenoma and it was in the advanced stages. Therefore, he was not

a candidate for a transplant. It was also felt that even if he did get a

transplant, the drugs would accelerate the cancer.

This is a fast growing cancer. I know because it was the cause of my second

husband's death. I am well aware of this cancer. It is a rare cancer and only

affects the bile duct, liver, and gallbladder. However, it will metastasize to

other organs but that is the same for all cancers. I'm sure and hope that

research has moved to finding out more about this cancer and found treatments.

At the time my husband had it (1992), because it was so rare, there really

wasn't a chemotherapy that had been proven effective.

I do believe Walter's death has made people more aware of being organ donors and

they are signing up to be a donor.

When I heard the announcement about Walter's death, I cried -- probably because

of my recent diagnose of AIH with liver involvement -- even though he did not

have the same disease. Also, I had not heard about the cancer yet and I was

concerned about a transplant as to why it was taking so long and when he was so

ill. When the cancer issue was announced, I knew someone didn't arbitrarily

take him off the transplant list.

God bless Walter -- he is in a better place. God bless and give us all the

strength, courage, and patience we need to fight this illness.

Kay from the Chicago Area