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athy Holder admits she would rather lu- jetting off In All mun locale like Harsati. hm being at home right now is her own slice ot paradiw. Especially after iust fin- ishing 32 straight days at hospital lrcaum‘nl fur the leukemia she contracted after a successful battle with breast cancer. It's helping her recharge mentally and emotionally as she faces another 30-day course of treatment starting tumor- row. "Any day out m the hos- pital is a good day," said Cathy. buoyed by the hamil- iar surroundings and having her daughters hume for Thanksgiving last week. "Thirty-two days is a long lime lo spend in the hospi- tal." But it wasn't supposed to be like this after she heat an aggressive form of breast cancer in February 2002. With her daughters, (Inurt- may and Caitlin, off In uni- versity. Cathy and her hur band, Chris. were set to enjoy their empty-nesters status. and celebrated the initial positive prognosis with a vacation. It was just one of many trips they wanted to take with the worst behind them, That's when Cathy started noticing red streaks up and down her arm. A series of blood tests confirmed the (iii) (ii) (altar? Nrc Local leukemia sufferer in dire need of a bone marrow transplant WPI. received lederal tttttding tttr community learning Ittttiigttrllt The Waterloo public library velchrated Ontario Publir Libraries Week this week with the announcement of a $400,000 grant from the fed, eral Mice of Warning Tech- nologies. Human Rmnurrvs and Skills llvvvlnpmt-nl Canada. WM. has received approval for the funding to build a 'erhn"logy-hased community learning net- work In assist nt'w immir Desperate times 533 K p. s: N Walk":- Acuotc, 'm' LINER-"1.: Mm 10th0tttirthtlitiBlMM? '"Itl'," B-K VOLVO um "f N My _' 885-509! BY BOB “an.“ Chronicle Mutt must lust December - she had contracted leukemia. "We were totally blown away." said Cathy about the drugnusix. .. Ihat was the last thing we ever suspected or thought about was getting another kind of cancer from cantor treatrnenL" 1reratment-induced leukemia is a little known side effect of the massive chemotherapy and radia- tion treatments she had uruiergorte to battle the breast cancer. With all the worries over the breast can- cer and the side effects of treatment. Cathy and Chris thought this was the least of their worries "II was something we didn't even talk about." said Chris. "lt was down at the bottom of the list of our concerns." "ll happens to less than one per cent of the patients," said Cathy. "We really had no choice but to cope with it." She's done that with the support of family and friends. But now she's elicit- ing the support of her neighbours and the wider community as she looks for a potential bone marrow donor. The Holders have already exhausted all of Cathy"s immediate family as poten- tial donors with no match found. They have had In cast a wider net to find a donor and encourage any- one who's able to register with the Canadian Bone grants In settle into Waterloo Region. Local employment sup- port will be a key element in the development of the net- work. The three-year-old pro- pm will he led by the Water- loo public library, with part- nom from the Region of Waterloo library, the Univt?r- sity of Waterloo. the Social Planning Council of Kilch- "ner-Waterloo, KW Coun- selling and the Cross-Cul. DI' g I‘ 533 King Sue Walerloo 385 More information about the process can be found at a Web site Chris started to raise awareness at wwsebrnt4cathy.corm Addr- tional information can also be found at www.bloodser- vices.ca. Neighbours and friends have come out to offer their support for Cathy Holder. middle. in her search for a bone marrow donor, Neighbours like Wendy Rush, John Rush, Cora Black and Jan Baier have drummed up support for the Canadian Bone Marrow Donor Registry to help Cathy and her husband. Chris. beat the treatment-induced leukemia she has contracted. Marrow Donor Registry. rently looking for a donor, Francesco Crecca, and More information about It also has more than mother, Maria, whose maid- the process can he found at 230.000 potential donors en name is Muccioli. came a Web site Chris started to registered on the site for any from the village of Ruvo del raise awareness at future searches. and shares Monte in the Potenza wwwFnt4cathy.corm Addr- its information with an province of Italy in the tional information can also international database of Basilicata region of the be found at www.bloodser- the more than 750 interna- country. The town is vices.ca. tional patients looking for a approximately 80 to 100 All it takes is a simple potential match in Canada, miles east ofNaples, All it takes is a simple blood test which is then put in a database that is run by Canadian Blood Services. Through DNA testing. Canadian Blood Services matches all new samples with the 250 Canadians cur YM( IA Iural Services division of the Htrs a fantastic project brings together key Commu- nity partners lo develop an important new resource for new immigrants to the region." said WI.II hoard chairTim Jackson. "We're particularly pleased that we can build the network using local technology that is being developed hy the turmputer Systems Group at the IJniA It also has more than 230.000 potential donors registered on the site for any future searches. and shares its information with an international database of the more than 750 interna- tional patients looking for a potential match in Canada. - "All it takes is a teaspoon of blood to make a differ- ence." said Chris. It's likely any potential donor will share common roots with Cathy. who is of Italian descent. Her father, versity ofWaterioo. " The Region ofWaterloo is one of the mp five destina, lions in Canada for new immigrants. The community learning network will provide an up- to-date resource to help new immigrants settle in the region, and to integrate into the local labour market. The project will include a multilingual network to facilitate communication between new immigrants While the most likely match would he someone who shares this common genetic heritage. chances are that anyone in a multi- cultural country like Canada could he a match for Cathy. and the community torgani- zatiom that serve them, as well as comprehensive labour market profiles of key employers with skills development information that is specific to Waterloo Region. "Libraries play a key role in economic development through the employment support they provide." said Jackson, "and local employ- ment will be an important outcome (If this project." That’s why Chris and Cathy are appealing to any- one who is able for help. You never know who you'll be helping. they said, "lt's not just me, there are hundreds of us looking for help," she said. “Ydu cauld he the one, or you could be the one for somebody else," said Chris. It's been tough to take a private battle against cancer and make it public. said the Holders. "My family. friends and neighbours have been awe- some with their support and in getting the word out." said Cathy, who has seen a constant stream of neighbours and well-wish- ers stop by her Waterloo home to offer their support. "Hopefully if they see my face they can relate to it, and it becomes more real for them. "We talked to Blood Ser- vices in Ottawa and they've already noticed an increase in activity in this area - isn't that great. And it all starts with a simple blood test." In addition to the Web sites, Canadian Blood Ser- vices and the Bone Marrow Donor list can also be reached at t-B88-23fi-6283. But they've have no choice. and have been heartened by the support they've received. Jackson said the involve- ment ofthe Region ofWater- loo library as a partner in the development ofthe nor work is particularly impor- tam in reaching out to new immigrants in the rural, as well as the urban areas of Waterloo Region, A prototype of the mm work should he ready within a year. with full implemerr Iatinn of the community learning network by the fall of2007.