Jason Blake is a lucky man.
That may seem an odd thing to write about the Toronto Maple Leafs' forward one day after he announced he has a rare form of cancer — chronic myelogenous leukemia. But if he were diagnosed with this five years ago, chances are he might not have survived, let alone resume his hockey career without missing so much as a game.
It was only in March of 2003 that a drug called imatinib, better known under its commercial name, Gleevec, was approved for use by cancer patients after several years of testing. At the time, the five-year survival rate for those with CML was 50 per cent. Today, the five-year survival rate for cancer patients who take Gleevec is 90 per cent.
This does not mean Blake, 34, will have an easy time of it. He is a professional athlete who is in superb physical condition but he will still have to deal with the effects of the disease, which include bone pain and fatigue and perhaps the side effects of Gleevec, which include nausea, muscle cramps and weight gain.
Given the rarity of this form of leukemia, there is not a ready group of elite athletes to back up Blake's brave statement that cancer "will not impact my ability to live my life as I otherwise would, and will not affect my ability to perform at my highest level for the Toronto Maple Leafs."
However, a professional cyclist turned triathlete in Decatur, Ga., should provide inspiration for Blake.
Drew Johnston, 35, who retired as a cyclist in 1998 because of concussions and was diagnosed with CML in 2004, is a regular on the Ironman circuit of triathlons, an event that comprises a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle race and a 26.2-mile marathon run. Johnston finished 280th out of 1,852 competitors in the 2006 Ironman World Championships.
"The truth is," Johnston told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "there's really no precedent for what I'm doing. Doctors don't know if doing an Ironman is good or bad for me.
"Because of the extra white cells, I have less aerobic capacity than normal. Anemia, and therefore fatigue, is a big issue for me. Also, because of the medication, I tend to get stomach cramps and leg cramps.
"What the doctors tell me is: 'Don't push beyond your limits. Listen to your body.' I can tell you this, even with all the side effects, I've never felt more alive than when I'm out there competing."
At this point, there is no reason to think Blake will miss any games because of cancer. It appears it was caught early, a routine blood test given during training camp last month raising the initial alarm. His treatment is a daily dose of Gleevec, rather than the stem-cell and bone-marrow transplants that are treatments for those with more advanced forms of the disease.
"I'm not going to sit here and say, 'Why me?'ƒ|" Blake said after participating in the Leafs' practice yesterday. "I've been very fortunate and blessed in my life. I'll continue to do the things I love to do and move on."
That is a commendable attitude, especially considering this is not the first brush with cancer for Blake and his family. His wife, Sara, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2001, when she was pregnant.
Blake, then playing for the New York Islanders, took the final 13 games of the 2000-01 season off to help look after Sara and his family. She gave birth to a daughter in April of 2001 and then had a tumour removed from her throat, which turned out to be benign. Now Sara and the couple's three children have to deal with Jason's fight with cancer.
According to Noah Forman, one of the Leafs' physicians and a leukemia specialist, it is a fight Blake has an excellent chance of winning. "I think the prognosis is outstanding," Forman said. "[The medication] should definitely put the condition under really good control and allow him to continue on with a long and healthy life — as well as his career."
After Blake's blood test in training camp showed an abnormality, more tests were done. A bone-marrow test confirmed he had CML and Blake was informed on Friday. He told his teammates yesterday.
"We're going to be his backup family here, too, as a team," captain Mats Sundin said. "We're going to support him with everything we can to make him feel better, go through this, and have a great year."
Forman said he and the cancer experts at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto do not expect Blake to suffer unduly from the potential side effects of his medication. Nor do they believe there is any risk of worsening his condition by playing hockey.
Hockey may also be just the thing Blake needs to take his mind off his situation. Then again, there is the matter of the expectations he can equal the 40 goals he scored for the Islanders last season, especially after signing a five-year, $20-million (all currency U.S.) contract with the Leafs.
"I think this is something that was thrown at me for a reason," Blake said. "I'll become a stronger person when it's over and done with.
"My goal has not changed since I heard this news. And that's come to Toronto, bring another piece of the puzzle and hopefully win a Stanley Cup here."
If Blake were to miss a significant amount of playing time, the Leafs could get relief under the salary cap for his $4-million salary. Under NHL rules, they can acquire another player and be forgiven for any amount that puts them over the $50.3-million cap.
