Report: Neilson facing 'massive' radiation

Canadian Press

12/15/2002

OTTAWA (CP) - Senators president Roy Mlakar would not confirm a report in Saturday's New York Post that cancer has been detected in the brain of Ottawa assistant coach Roger Neilson.

``We are not going to discuss location,'' said Mlakar.

After consulting with Senators team physician Dr. Don Chow, Mlakar said they decided they would not discuss specifics of Neilson's condition other than to say his treatment is on an ongoing basis and chemotherapy would not be part of the treatment.

``We are battling two types of cancer ... after this week we're hoping for a break for the holidays. Things are going well. After a time, you have valleys and you come back. He's doing well now,'' said Mlakar.

Neilson is to undergo ``a massive'' radiation treatment, according to the Post, to battle the cancer that has spread to three places in Neilson's brain.

Neilson, 68, worked Saturday night's game between the Senators and the New Jersey Devils.

Neilson, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last month, has been battling multiple myeloma, a type of bone cancer, and melanoma, a skin cancer, since December 1999.

Following chemotherapy treatment, Neilson underwent a succesful stem cell transplant in March 2000 at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia.

``He's in great spirits today,'' said Mlakar. ``He hasn't missed a day of work. He gets all his treatment on an outpatient basis.

``I'd rather be doing this (talking to reporters) than him because he needs to do his job.'' (Ottawa Sun)
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Das ist wirklich eine traurige Geschichte mit Neilson. Ich hoffe, er wird diesen Kampf auch diesmal gewinnen...

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"...you go the box you know, eh, two minutes by yourself, and you feel shame, you know, and then you get free."