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WELLNESS: Autographed pink guitar will aid other patients 1 _One ihm doesn't consist of her alarm clock sounding atsameverydaytoensumshe takes her morning medication on Or a life that doesn't entail tak- irigleillsadayandinhalersand traveling to Markham Stouffville or Princess Margaret hospitals for check-ups every other week In 2007, the Musselman's lake resident underwent a routine breast exam and heard a very different result than in previous years. She had breast cancer. The only option for Ms how, she said, was radiation treatment, if she wanted a fighting chance. According to Ms Law, the 25 doses of radiation would reduce her risk of the breast cancer returning within five years from 25 per cent to five per cent because she was a long time smoker - 40â€"odd years. She doesn't recall the side effects of radiation treatment ever being little did she know, while curing one deadly disease, she would be potentially setting up her body to Cancel; leukemia have Lise giving back f Lise 113w knew what she knows now. she may be liv- ing a very different ljfe. BY SANDRA BQLAN sbolan®yrmg.com house another one. A year after completing her radi- ation treatments, Ms bow found thatshehadvirtuallynoenergyA routine blood work-up during her annual physical uncovered that her hemogiobin “had crashed," she said. Hemoglobintransportsoxygen from thelungstotherestofmebody. For _almost a year, Ms Low received blood transfusions every four weeks at Markham Stoufl‘ville. “I always felt great after the trans- fusions because I had blood. which meant I had energy," she said. RADIATION CAUSED LEUKEMIA? But in early 2009, shonly after a transfusion, she wasn't feeling her normal energetic self. Further testing by a blood special- ist at Markham Stouffville revealed Ms law now had acute myeloid leu- kemia Here in lies the rub. “There's a chance the leukemia came from the radiation treatments.” she said. Aspanof the transfusion process, Ms Law was getting Regular bone marrowchecks The one in Oct 2008 wasnormal “By January (the leukemia) was starting to near its ugiy head and in February it was full-blown! she Notonlydid Mslnwhavetodeal with learning she had leukemia, but shewasalsotoldshehadonlymree tosixmonthstolive. “It’s the most deadliest of the leu- kemias." she said. Acute myeloid leukemia starts in thebonemarrow,whlchisthesoft inner portion of the bone and where new blood cells are made. typically the white blood cells. which dictates a person's immune system. Ms low was given the option to undergo aggressive chemotherapy or do nothing She opted for the chemo. “Eitherway, there was a high risk,” she said. “I'm a fighter. I'm a thor- oughly strong person and the three to six months was not an option." Ms Low spent five weeks last spring at Princess Margaret under- going chemotherapy. She then retufiled home and waited for her last hope â€" a stem cell donor. TWO matches were found within a few months, neither of whom were family members. “I feel very fortunate.” she said. On Dec. 3. Ms Low received a stem cell transplant A check of her bone marrow 60 days after the transplant revealed “I will end' up with the donor’s immune system,” she said. normal blood cell levels. While Ms low was undergoing chemo treatments last spring. her husband, Tom mmer, came across a pink guitar and picked it up for his wife knowing it would somehow be utilized to raise money for charity. The couple spent a lot of time poring over cancer-related charities trying to find the perfect one. They were coming up empty. While in the hospital, there isn't a lot to do for a patient other than read and watch TV, when not being poked and prodded. PROVIDE TVS, PHONES But Ms Low could not afford the $500 a month, she said it cost for a TV, especially since Mr. Turner was fired from his job at a construction equipment rental company. I “I-t's obscene. th can afford that?" she said. Ms Law's patient care liaison provided assistance with her medi- cation costs through the Trillium Foundation and she came through again for Ms Low by connecting her to the CHIP Foundation, which assists long-term hospital patients with stayifig in toucfi with family and friends when their own funds have been depleted. "CHIP's primary goal is to enable those least able to aflord (communi- cation) servicesachaxlcetostaycon- nected to the outsifie world through phone, long distance cards and TV," according to the foundation. Ms bow opted to forgo the phone and long distance calling cards because “1 have a very large family andiflhadaphonel'dgetnorest." she said She, did, however, accept the TV. “It just makes it easier to be in the hospital,” she said. But this isn't just any pink guitar. This one has been autographed by Canadian country musician Johnny Reid. Mr. Turner spent years work- ing with Mr. Reid's father and asked if he would mind having his son autograph the guitar. Both Reid men obliged. The â€"couple also found a charity for the pink guitax. For more Mommion on the pink ribbon guitar draw, 3) to m.pinkr1bbongultar.oom andforinfornwaflononmeCHIPFoundaflong) m www.chlpchadtxcom MsLowishopingtoraise$2Q000 for CHIP through the sale of raf- fle tickets for the guitar. All of the money will go to CHIP. Tickets are $10 each and avail- able at Stouffville Florist, Boston Pizza and the Earl of Whitchurch pub. The draw takes place in June.