5 replies to this topic

[bagdaddi]

For all you Futbol fans out there...

Revolution defender Kevin Alston was voted the 2013 Comeback Player of the Year today after his courageous battle with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a rare but treatable form of leukemia, this season.

Alston, 25, started every game he was available for during the first four years of his career, which began in 2009. But at the end of this past March, he knew something was wrong and he wasn't feeling quite right. On March 30 against FC Dallas, he was subbed off toward the end of the game and examined by team physicians. On April 8, he was diagnosed with CML.

With no cure for CML, Alston underwent 41?2 months of treatment, all while remaining a constant presence around the team at training. After he was cleared to slowly begin workouts in late May, he returned to the field on July 27 in Washington D.C. — in his hometown and in front of almost 100 friends and family.

"Kevin has been an inspiration for our entire organization this year," Revolution president Brian Bilello said. "It was a shock to everyone to hear that someone so young and fit could be hit with this disease, but Kevin approached his treatment with such a tremendous attitude that it was no surprise that he returned to the field so quickly. We're very pleased his determination and spirit has been recognized by those around the league."

On the field this season, Alston started the first four games of the year before receiving his CML diagnosis. After his return, he made five more appearances - including two starts - to finish the year with nine appearances and six starts.

The MLS Comeback Player of the Year is determined through league-wide voting of players, media and executive staff, and honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2013 regular season.

Alston is the team's first comeback player of the year in team history. This season, he joins Revs teammates Jose Goncalves (defender of the year) and Matt Reis (humanitarian of the year) as league award winners.

[rct]

That's funny.  He underwent 4.5 months of treatment.  My Mrs has been at it for 7 years now.  Which special CML did he get, or did he have a transplant?

rct

[bagdaddi]

Not sure, but I believe he is on TKI's like the rest of us. 

[Pin]

I think, as usual, this just reflects the lack of understanding of CML by the media (and the general public) and given that it's such a rare disease, that's understandable I guess. It's partly why it's so difficult to get people to 'get' what we are going through. They think that you get treated and then you get better, or you die. The grey area we live in is difficult to understand. Even for us sometimes too I guess.

This article explains it a bit better: http://www.revolutio...ayer-year-award

"Alston will be the first to tell you that he hasn't beaten cancer. Because there is no cure for CML, he continues to undergo treatment and likely will for the rest of his life. Alston didn't have cancer. He has cancer. But while this particular form of leukemia can't be "beaten" as of yet, it can be controlled. It can be overcome".

[danno]

I was under the impression the only possible cure for CML is an allo SCT.

[Pin]

Yeah, that is true (as far as we currently know) I guess explaining it in too much detail is probably beyond most media outlets...they should have just linked to Trey's blog