Van Zeumeren is battling hard

If you are not aware of Glenn Van Zeumeren’s story, read on.

He completed Ironman Canada in 2010, and shortly after the race he got an infection from a small cut and after various attempts to fix it with drugs, he was admitted to the hospital with infections and severe muscle pains and an inability to walk. Three weeks into the hospital stay he was diagnosed with MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome) which is a bone marrow disorder that affects the bone marrow’s ability to produce proper red cells (oxygen carrying), white cells (infection fighting), and platelets (blood clotting). He apparently had this for some time and the Ironman deflated his immune system enough to hospitalize him and bring that diagnosis forward. His doctor was amazed that he was able to complete the race with such a low red blood count.

Glenn has been battling the disease and has been trying to raise awareness through “Racing to Register” of the need for bone marrow and stem cell donors, and to increase the number of Canadians on the registry list.

Find out more at https://www.racingtoregister.ca/

Glenn is currently enduring the toughest part of his battle with the disease. Please keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers, and definitely do him a favour and at least get registered to be on the donor list. You could save a life! Get Swabbed!

Read his most recent blog post (October 19, 2011) below:

I told Collette she could skip her turn and I would write this update. This update is about a Man and his family who are praying for a miracle and are inviting you to join in on this prayer. I have sent many updates in the past 12 months, always with some humour and always trying to show how much God has touched my life and the lives of others during this endurance race.  Today we got the news that we are down to the final try….. One last dose of chemo (campath). This dose will have 7-10 days to work on the graft vs host disease to reduce the diarrhea and get the intestinal tract working again. This being the third attempt does not give the doctors much hope. So this is why we are pleading to our Almighty God to do things that we can not fathom in the miracle that will save my life.

This afternoon Michelle, Ryan, Collette, Sierra and all 4 parents were by my side and we started the prayer, please join us in it.

If the Campath is not successful I will remain in the hospital under supportive care until I get some sort of infection that my body is not able to fight.

So once again, let us swim, bike and run with endurance, the race that God has set out for us!!! Heb 12:1.

Glenn

Find out more about Glenn’s story here.