From Deseret News archives:
Fisher hopes daughter's treatments over
Doctors will monitor eyes until she's 44 months old
In an interview with Today show's Matt Lauer, Fisher said the little girl has undergone surgery and three rounds of chemotherapy for retinoblastoma, a rare and potentially deadly cancer of the eye. Three rounds, he said, was identified as the "best number at her age to stick with for now."
In the next few days, Fisher said, they'll find out how effective the treatments have been, before starting to "transition" to Los Angeles, where he's rejoined the Lakers and where the 1-year-old will continue to be examined until she's 44 months old. Fisher was told that age marks the end of the most dangerous period for the cancer.
Tatum's twin, Drew, is also routinely checked for the eye condition but has shown no sign of it.
During the six-minute television interview, Fisher conceded that the decision to walk away from his $20 million contract with the Jazz was probably easier because he's an established player. "I think that early in your career when you're trying to establish yourself, when you're trying to set up financial security for you and your family, it's more difficult," he said.
He said he's thankful to the Jazz and the NBA for understanding his decision to seek a spot on a team closer to the treatment he and wife Candace have chosen for Tatum. When they first learned she had the tumor in her retina, they "went back and forth" on whether to make it public, because he's a private man, he told Lauer.
He revealed her disease because that was "something put in my heart by the man upstairs. Because, hopefully what it's done is allow children to have their lives saved, to have their eyes saved."
His daughter, he added, "is changing the world for the better."
Retinoblastoma strikes as many as 300 young children in the United States each year. A congenital condition, it can lead to blindness and, if it is untreated and moves into the brain, death. Doctors at Moran Eye Center and Primary Children's Medical Center say they see a handful of children in the Intermountain West diagnosed with the cancer each year. Often, the recommended treatment is removal of the eye.
The Fishers chose a treatment that targets chemotherapy directly into the tumor, he told reporters earlier.
E-mail: lois@desnews.com
Comments
- Group warns about small toys 9:34 p.m.
- Keep infants out of adult beds 9:33 p.m.
- Thunder rolls by Jazz 9:32 p.m.
- Sloan remembers Abe Pollin 9:29 p.m.
- Pujols 'humbled' by MVP award 9:27 p.m.
- Utes need Wide to run wild 9:24 p.m.
- Beadles an Academic All-American 9:22 p.m.
- BYU ties give Utes an edge 9:20 p.m.
- Y. focused on 10-win season 9:11 p.m.
- Cougars cruise past Southern 9:10 p.m.
- Utah, BYU are top choices for bowls
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
- Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
- Best prep football games of 2009
- KSL: Prostitution in Utah County
- Man trapped in own body for 23 yrs
- Kirilenko climbing blocks list
- Woman describes stabbing, killing
- Boys basketball rankings
- 'Dancing' will fill out finale
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
229 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
223 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
202 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
183 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
179 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
137 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
136 - BYU records with win
133 - Letters: Rushing to judge Palin
119 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
104
I have to admit, BYU has the edge in this one: senior winning QB Hall, proven...
Anybody can hit a pk ??? Calling Landon Donovon....
I think the rankings are right on the money for now, Rich has many returning...
So Real Salt Lake has only been in existence for 5 years? How is it that...
Great! looks like we get sorry bowl or more sorry bowl. Either way we get a...
Her handlers/the GOP would only let her be interviewed by Hannity which IMO...
hooray for piute!! I pretty much love watching girls basketball it's so...
I have to agree with those of you on both sides of the isle, that the rivalry...
The ironic thing is we are letting 538 people who are pretty much set for...
@Scare D. Katt 2:43 p.m.: "We [on the left] are not "scared" of former...




You can be the first to comment on this story.