Viking's Udeze May Have Leukimia

[BallHawk]

Per ESPN....


EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings are extending their "thoughts and prayers" to defensive end Kenechi Udeze after a television station reported Monday night that he has a form of leukemia.

The Vikings declined to confirm the television reports by Minneapolis stations KSTP and KMSP out of respect for Udeze's privacy, but issued a statement of support from coach Brad Childress.

The station reported Udeze is undergoing tests to determine the severity of the disease.

Udeze's agent, Ethan Lock declined to comment.

Udeze, 24, was a first-round draft pick out of USC in 2004. He has 11 sacks in 51 career games, having missed most of the 2005 season with a knee injury.

[oregonpackfan]

Oh my! Leukemia is often a serious condition.

[Tarlam!]

Oh my! Leukemia is often a serious condition.

Often? Sorry to call you out, my respected friend, but "often"?

This is a shit-faced fungusoid disease of the worst kind. Blood itself gets devoured by this shit. If he has it, I hope all Packer fans step up for a blood test to see if their bone marrow can save his life.

This is one of the worst cancer types, especially in children. I am at a loss for words...

[Lurker64]

Eek. Poor guy. I wish him a full and speedy recovery.

The Vikings just can't catch a break at the DE position, can they?

[The Leaper]

Wow...that is a bummer. I wish him well and hope for a complete recovery.

[oregonpackfan]

Oh my! Leukemia is often a serious condition.

Often? Sorry to call you out, my respected friend, but "often"?

This is a shit-faced fungusoid disease of the worst kind. Blood itself gets devoured by this shit. If he has it, I hope all Packer fans step up for a blood test to see if their bone marrow can save his life.

This is one of the worst cancer types, especially in children. I am at a loss for words...

Tarlam,

There is much more hope for leukemia victims today than just 10 years ago. The survival rate has gone up considerably.

As far as his football career, it may be over. The highest priority, of course, is his survival. We all hope he makes it.

[Deputy Nutz]

Oh my! Leukemia is often a serious condition.

Often? Sorry to call you out, my respected friend, but "often"?

This is a shit-faced fungusoid disease of the worst kind. Blood itself gets devoured by this shit. If he has it, I hope all Packer fans step up for a blood test to see if their bone marrow can save his life.

This is one of the worst cancer types, especially in children. I am at a loss for words...

Actually the survival rate for young children is much higher than adults that have leukemia. One of my daughters play group friends got leukemia when she was two years old. She is now leukemia free. I think the surviavial rate for children is almost 90% if treated correctly and if it is caught in time.

[Partial]

my best friend growing up had it.

[MJZiggy]

Oh my! Leukemia is often a serious condition.

Often? Sorry to call you out, my respected friend, but "often"?

This is a shit-faced fungusoid disease of the worst kind. Blood itself gets devoured by this shit. If he has it, I hope all Packer fans step up for a blood test to see if their bone marrow can save his life.

This is one of the worst cancer types, especially in children. I am at a loss for words...

Tarlam,

There is much more hope for leukemia victims today than just 10 years ago. The survival rate has gone up considerably.

As far as his football career, it may be over. The highest priority, of course, is his survival. We all hope he makes it.

I find threads like these difficult because there is such a finite amount of things to say about a stranger who has cancer. While I feel bad for the guy, I feel equally bad that there are thousands of kids who get this disease and suffer through it and the treatments who are never brought to public attention the way a professional athlete is, so while I hope that Mr. Udeze survives and eventually makes a full recovery, I'm with Tarlam in thinking that we all should get typed because even if we can't help the big-name football player, we might save the life of a kid full of potential. Then again "should" and "do" are not always one in the same as I'm probably not going to run to the doc tomorrow to get it done this week either. But Tar, you know I love you for your passion about these things.

I think the response to OPF is more something like, although survivable, leukemia is still ALWAYS a very serious condition and nasty to be treat even if the treatment is successful. You can't have just a mild case of leukemia. Merely a semantic difference and not an ideological one.

[KYPack]

Poor guy.

People like to yell at pro athletes because of all the money they make, but this brings home that they are flesh and blood just like everyone else.

Nutz (he has a serious side, fans) is right, the older you are, the more of a killer leukemia is.

Hope the man makes it

[Rastak]

24 years old, in great shape physically, a brand new daughter and the doctor lays this on you. Man, I can hardly imagine it.



I hope it's a treatable form.

[packinpatland]

The fact that he's young and in better physical shape than most has got to be a help. Let's all pray that's the case.

[Rastak]

Oh my! Leukemia is often a serious condition.

Often? Sorry to call you out, my respected friend, but "often"?

This is a shit-faced fungusoid disease of the worst kind. Blood itself gets devoured by this shit. If he has it, I hope all Packer fans step up for a blood test to see if their bone marrow can save his life.

This is one of the worst cancer types, especially in children. I am at a loss for words...

Tarlam,

There is much more hope for leukemia victims today than just 10 years ago. The survival rate has gone up considerably.

As far as his football career, it may be over. The highest priority, of course, is his survival. We all hope he makes it.

I find threads like these difficult because there is such a finite amount of things to say about a stranger who has cancer. While I feel bad for the guy, I feel equally bad that there are thousands of kids who get this disease and suffer through it and the treatments who are never brought to public attention the way a professional athlete is, so while I hope that Mr. Udeze survives and eventually makes a full recovery, I'm with Tarlam in thinking that we all should get typed because even if we can't help the big-name football player, we might save the life of a kid full of potential. Then again "should" and "do" are not always one in the same as I'm probably not going to run to the doc tomorrow to get it done this week either. But Tar, you know I love you for your passion about these things.

I think the response to OPF is more something like, although survivable, leukemia is still ALWAYS a very serious condition and nasty to be treat even if the treatment is successful. You can't have just a mild case of leukemia. Merely a semantic difference and not an ideological one.


Right....but it really isn't unusual....hell, the wife of a future hall of fame QB probably will have gotten more attention for her battle with cancer and god knows how many well wishers there were and posts to JSO and other places. I think that kind of attention is a positive to help fight the disease and make people aware. I don't find threads like this difficult at all. If I was visiting a childrens hospital I'd probably cry over the kids I saw. Likewise, when I hear about a young guy with a young family facing this kind of thing I do feel bad. I haven't met the guy, but I've heard him speak many times, that makes it a helluva lot more immediate than people I have never seen or heard.

Does that really seem that unusual? Actually, I'm am curious Zig...it is an interesting point you raise.

[Pacopete4]

hopefully there is a cure for this guy.. even though hes a viking, hes a human being first and we all must remember that

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Tyrone is only sorry it that a more valuable viking like AP or kevin Williams didn't get leukemia.

God, why hast thou forsaken us?

[Pacopete4]

tyrone you are a sad person..

[GBRulz]

Tyrone is only sorry it that a more valuable viking like AP or kevin Williams didn't get leukemia.

God, why hast thou forsaken us?

classy. :roll:

[MJZiggy]

Right....but it really isn't unusual....hell, the wife of a future hall of fame QB probably will have gotten more attention for her battle with cancer and god knows how many well wishers there were and posts to JSO and other places. I think that kind of attention is a positive to help fight the disease and make people aware. I don't find threads like this difficult at all. If I was visiting a childrens hospital I'd probably cry over the kids I saw. Likewise, when I hear about a young guy with a young family facing this kind of thing I do feel bad. I haven't met the guy, but I've heard him speak many times, that makes it a helluva lot more immediate than people I have never seen or heard.

Does that really seem that unusual? Actually, I'm am curious Zig...it is an interesting point you raise.

Deanna Favre has said that she intentionally brought attention to her battle (to the point of writing a book about it) specifically in order to get women (and even men) to watch for it. And get annual exams whether they themselves find any lumps or not. It's not the thread itself that I find difficult, it's choosing which platitude to offer at the time. I've never seen or heard Udeze except on Pack/Vike games so I guess I just really feel no connection.

[Rastak]

Yea, that was good of her actually. It's gotta be hard enough to fight that fight privately....publicly would be even harder and not for everyone.


I remember when I was a kid a member of the Minnesota Twins was diagnosed with it....that was a sad thing. I hope this has a better ending. Actually, here's the wikipedia entry:





Danny Thompson was diagnosed with leukemia before the 1974 season, but he continued his major league career for the next three seasons. He received the Hutch Award in Seattle following the 1974 season, and batted .270 in 1975, leading all American League shortstops.

Thompson appeared in 98 games in 1976, and went 1 for 3 in his final start for the Rangers on September 29th, appropriately at shortstop in Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium. In his final game on October 2nd, he was used as a pinch hitter. [1] He died less than ten weeks later, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He was just 29, leaving a wife and two young daughters.

[KYPack]

Tyrone is only sorry it that a more valuable viking like AP or kevin Williams didn't get leukemia.

God, why hast thou forsaken us?

Wyncha take this post down, TB?

It's lower than low.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Tyrone is only sorry it that a more valuable viking like AP or kevin Williams didn't get leukemia.

God, why hast thou forsaken us?

Wyncha take this post down, TB?

It's lower than low.

KU and other cancer patients don't want to be treated any different than the rest of us..and usually appreciate a sense of humor.

Get a sense of humor people...it is far better to laugh thru the pain then to feel sorry for yourself or pity them.

[Rastak]

Tyrone is only sorry it that a more valuable viking like AP or kevin Williams didn't get leukemia.

God, why hast thou forsaken us?

Wyncha take this post down, TB?

It's lower than low.

KU and other cancer patients don't want to be treated any different than the rest of us..and usually appreciate a sense of humor.

Get a sense of humor people...it is far better to laugh thru the pain then to feel sorry for yourself or pity them.


What was the "funny" part? How many people do you think laughed out loud on reading your post? I can only think of one offhand and he'd actually think you were serious.

[Deputy Nutz]

I don't much care for Tyrone's post, but I don't need to lecture anyone in bad taste.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Tyrone is only sorry it that a more valuable viking like AP or kevin Williams didn't get leukemia.

God, why hast thou forsaken us?

Wyncha take this post down, TB?

It's lower than low.

KU and other cancer patients don't want to be treated any different than the rest of us..and usually appreciate a sense of humor.

Get a sense of humor people...it is far better to laugh thru the pain then to feel sorry for yourself or pity them.


What was the "funny" part? How many people do you think laughed out loud on reading your post? I can only think of one offhand and he'd actually think you were serious.

Anyone that seriously thought I wished AP or Kwill to really get leukemia is an idiot.

Anyone who has read any of my posts should know that Tyrone would never implore god to hurt someone...well, maybe a few bears...never vikings.

[Deputy Nutz]

O my God he made fun again, this time at the expense of the Bears. Someone, god please someone wave the finger of bad taste in his face.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Sucks for Udeze. For the sake of his family I hope he gets better.

[Rastak]

From PFT.com



UDEZE’S LEUKEMIA IS IN REMISSION
Posted by Mike Florio on April 18, 2008, 10:49 p.m.
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Kenechi Udeze, diagnosed earlier this year with leukemia, already is in remission, according to the Associated Press.

He learned on Wednesday that his blood and bone marrow are cancer-free. “I just kept my faith, and here we are today,” Udeze said.

Udeze also has found a bone-marrow donor for a future transplant. It’s his older brother, Thomas Barnes.

Even though he’s still undergoing chemotherapy twice per week, Udeze isn’t ruling out a return to the field in 2008.

[Joemailman]

Great to see he's doing well. I wonder about him returning in 2008 though. Gotta believe he's lost a lot of weight and strength.

[red]

after you go through something like that just take some time off to enjoy life

[BallHawk]

Great news.

[Rastak]

after you go through something like that just take some time off to enjoy life


I agree.....maybe play the following year if he wants to but football probably is pretty much meaningless to the guy now, I think it would be for me.