2008 Woodie Awards
Family battles cancer, starts non-profit
Kelly Olson
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: News
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"All things that were stressful or worrisome before his diagnosis were quickly put on the back burner," said Mary Botz, a mother of three young children.
After researching his "growing pain-like" symptoms online, Mary Botz decided to take her son to a hospital to run tests for a medical diagnosis.
In February 2006, Carter Botz was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
This form of leukemia causes malignant white blood cells to continually multiply in the bone marrow.
Through Carter's long and tough battle, the Botz family started up their own non-profit organization to raise money and cancer awareness.
The Botz family, from St. Joseph, takes part in the Relay for Life race every year, but now the race means more than ever to the family.
"Carter and my dad, a two-time cancer survivor, do the Survivor's Lap together. It really is an emotional night and I highly recommend going," Mary Botz said.
SCSU will host a Relay for Life race March 14 to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Last March, the relay raised $32,000 for cancer research and this year's goal is $37,412 for the event.
The Medical Profession Association at SCSU hosted the Relay for Life for the past five years at SCSU, and will continue in the future.
Cancer affects the lives of the family, friends and nurses who work with the cancer patients and families.
Therapies, antibiotics and the tough times often make a cancer patient weak.
"Patients are getting chemotherapy, blood products, IV antibiotics and other IV therapies," said Jenny Beamish, hematology/oncology nurse at the University of Minnesota Medical Center-Fairview.
Nurses provide symptom management to make sure reactions to treatments go smoothly.
Chemotherapy wipes out the immune system, so any infection can put a patient in danger.
A lot of time is spent at the hospital, so patients are encouraged to personalize their hospital rooms to make the stay more comfortable.