I believe this is the Jim Baines article Bob was referring to.. -dt

One Down, One to Go
By: Jim Baines
Date: 9/5/2000

"We're close to beating cancer (as a whole). There's no question. My
prediction is within five to seven years, it's going to be beaten like
polio was beaten in the early 1900s." -- Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh
on WZON's "Hang Time with Dan Hanningan" on Tuesday.
Leave it to the play-by-play voice of UMaine hockey to talk with Shawn
Walsh first. Dan Hannigan spoke with the UMaine hockey coach on Tuesday
afternoon in a taped interview aired on his daily show, "Hang Time."
Walsh just returned over the weekend from his first of two cycles of
immunotherapy for treatment of a cancer of the lymph nodes behind his
breast plate. Walsh had a cancerous left kidney removed in July.
Until the second cycle begins at the end of this month, it's back to
work.
"Friday, I had my last heavy dose," Walsh told Hannigan. "Saturday,
they released me. Sunday, we flew home. And Monday, I was running a
freshman meeting. I don't think my doctor might light that schedule,
but it was fine. I feel stronger today (Tuesday). I'm expecting
tomorrow and the next day I'll feel at lot stronger."
The medication operates on twenty-day cycles: five days on, ten days
off, then five days on again. The treatment itself is no picnic.
"It's like the worst flu you've ever had," said Walsh. "In the first
five-day segment I had, in the final three days, I think I vomited 13
times. It just completely drops you of any zip you've got. But, you get
your strength back."
Walsh added that the nausea and diarrhea are a small price to pay for
what the medication does.
"In the second go-around, I wasn't able to take as many dosages, which
is what's expected, because you have the residual amount for the first
go-around. It was tough, but darn it, it was tough building this hockey
program. You just deal with it and move forward."
Walsh had kudos for the staff at the ..... at the UCLA Medical Center
and the advances they have made in fighting cancer, and his kind in
particular.
"It's very, very rare in the United States that you can get this
(medication) in high doses. It's something that's very toxic. You
almost need a one-on-one nurse/patient relationship to watch you.
That's the risk they take, but they're very well-funded out there, and
they're willing to do that."
While Walsh says he feels stronger every day, the actual results won't
be known for several weeks, at least.
"We're hoping that just prior to the start of the second cycle, we may
get an idea if the tumors have had any shrinkage .. or elimination.
They may wait until the whole thing is over until they take a definite
look."
Now back in Orono, Walsh will continue with his usual September duties.
While dry-land training commences -- which doesn't involve Walsh -- the
coach will prepare for on-ice practices, which will start at midnight
on the morning of September 24. If the current immunotherapy schedule
keeps, Walsh will return from the second cycle the weekend of the Black
Bear Classic, but most likely would not coach until Homecoming vs. Ohio
State the following weekend.
Rumors of Walsh's celebrity company held true. Actor Kurt Russell,
originally of Rangeley Lakes, housed Walsh for some of the trip.
"Kurt and Goldie Hawn have been so good to (wife) Lynne and I and our
family. Kurt and I played golf twice in between (five-day) sessions, so
I did get my strength back, and really had some fun.
"Until he hit a shot one foot from the pin on the last hole to beat
me."
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Fitta <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: BDN: Walsh feels good after treatment


> Thanks Deron for posting the BDN article.  There is a simlar update on Jim
> Baines site, I believe it can be found at Mainebeat.com.  Also it is
> reported on the US College Hockey Board this morning that Maine has
> recruited a goaltender for next year.  His name is Robert McVicar out of
> Brandon Ontario go to
>
> http://www.wheatkings.com/bsun/090200.htm
>
> to read about him.  While we all look forward to another year of Maine
> action I know I speak for my family when I say our prayers and thoughts
> remain with Coach Walsh and his family.
>
> Bob Fitta '83
>
>
>
> >Walsh 'feels good' after treatment
> >By Larry Mahoney, Of the NEWS Staff
> >
> >University of Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh was feeling a little
"queasy''
> >but he said he felt "much better'' than he did a couple of days ago.
> >
> >Walsh, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer in June, returned to work and
> >had a meeting with his new players on Monday in Orono followed by his
team's
> >mandatory three-mile run and team meeting Tuesday.
> >
> >Walsh has just completed the first of two 20-day immunotherapy cycles at
the
> >Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA and returned home over the
> >weekend. He will begin his second and final 20-day cycle late this month
or
> >early next month.
> >
> >Following the second cycle, tests will be conducted to see if the
> >immunotherapy has eliminated or shrunk the tumors.
> >
> >"It's so nice to be back. I feel good. My jump is back,'' said Walsh.
> >"Everything has gone well.''
> >
> >His 20-day cycles were comprised of three intravenous drips per day for
five
> >days; a 10-day recovery period and another five days of intravenous
drips.
> >
> >The medication from the drips is designed to shock the immune system into
> >destroying the remaining cancerous tumors under his breastplate.
> >
> >Walsh was forewarned about the side effects and said "it was as tough as
> >they said it would be.
> >
> >"After every dose, I got a terrible case of the chills and they had to
put
> >hot blankets over me,'' said Walsh who also later spiked a fever of 102
and
> >had his heart rate jump to 162 beats per minute for an hour and a half.
> >
> >A resting heart rate averages 60 to 80 beats a minute.
> >
> >Vomiting, fatigue and dry, itchy skin were among the other side effects
he
> >suffered.
> >
> >He said the first day after the first five-day cycle had concluded, he
took
> >a very brief walk in the backyard of actor Kurt Russell and his longtime
> >girlfriend, actress Goldie Hawn. Walsh and his wife, Lynne, stayed at
their
> >home.
> >
> >The second day, he walked for 12 minutes and, by the fifth day, he went
for
> >a one-hour walk. The next day he played golf with Russell and former Bear
> >Bob Corkum, who will start his second season for the Los Angeles Kings
later
> >this week.
> >
> >"It's amazing how quickly you recover and regain your strength. That's
> >encouraging,'' said Walsh.
> >
> >Walsh said Russell and Hawn have been "wonderful to us.''
> >
> >Russell, who lists Rangeley as his hometown and still has relatives
there,
> >met Walsh during the NCAA Frozen Four in Anaheim, Calif., in 1999. Walsh
> >invited Russell and Hawn's son, Wyatt, a goaltender, and a friend of his
> >(Gavin Scott) to participate in their practice session before Maine's
title
> >win over New Hampshire.
> >
> >One of Walsh's first orders of business was the meeting with his
newcomers
> >and he said it went "very well.
> >
> >"I told them what it means to be a hockey player at Maine. I wanted them
to
> >know there are certain behavioral standards,'' said Walsh who added that
his
> >excitement about being back coupled with the completion of his first
> >treatment cycle behind him made the meeting a special one for him.
> >
> >"It was one of the most rewarding speeches I have ever given because it
felt
> >so good to be talking to a team again,'' said Walsh who also outlined his
> >situation and treatment schedule for his players.
> >
> >Colin Shields, a freshman forward from Glasgow, Scotland, said he was
> >surprised how upbeat Walsh was considering his ordeal. He said the
meeting
> >was "really positive'' and inspirational.
> >
> >"He told us what he was going through and how he was going to fight it
and
> >be stronger than ever. He was so enthusiastic,'' Shields said. "His
desire
> >to win is so great. He gives you that hunger to succeed even more. You
> >realize that everything can be taken away so you want to seize each day
and
> >improve.''
> >
> >Walsh added, "If, in a small way, what I'm going through will help
toughen
> >up our team, that's great.''
> >
> >Walsh said his doctors have told him to "stay active'' and that certainly
> >won't be a problem for him.
> >
> >"My golf clubs are ready,'' said Walsh who is looking forward to working
> >with what will be a youthful Maine team this season.
> >
> >The Bears will start dry-land training today and take the ice on Sept.
24.
> >
> >"September is always the best time of year in hockey. It's an exciting
time.
> >The freshmen are here. They're all excited and you get caught up in it,''
> >said Walsh. "We've got so many newcomers and I'm also looking forward to
> >seeing the [veteran] players I expect to take big steps this year.''
> >
> >The team will run in Sunday's 5K Terry Fox Run in Bangor designed to
raise
> >money for cancer research. Walsh said he won't be able to attend due to a
> >previous commitment.
>
>
> Bob Fitta
> Advertising Account Manager
> Harvard Magazine
> http://www.harvard-magazine.com
> ph (617) 496-6631  fax (617) 495-0324