FRIDAY, September 22, 2017
www.kamloopsthisweek.com
LOCAL NEWS Darrin Yusishen and his daughter Bella, who was born with a rare genetic disease called Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Yusishen has had one brain tumour removed and another one has appeared. His prognosis is terminal and a crowdfunding initiative is underway to help the family.
Jeanne Marr
Vote for Jeanne Marr for City Councillor
A7
I believe that no one knows a city better than the people who reside there. The residents of Kamloops have always had a strong and diverse voice and I want to listen to that voice and carry it forward. Although we live in a wonderful community there are always areas that we need to focus on and improve. I want to focus on developing more jobs in technology without compromising our industrial jobs, which are the bedrock of our city. We have a world-class university and we want to retain these students in Kamloops by providing jobs and supporting mentorship programs so they can work to their full potential. We also want to attract others by creating a liveable city. Small business, combined, makes up Kamloops’ largest employer. We need to support these businesses to ensure they can sustain themselves and grow. As a city of approximately 90,000 people and growing, I want to ensure that our tax dollars are being spent efficiently and responsibly. I firmly believe that we, as a city, are only as strong as our most vulnerable. Presently we have an increasing homeless population, a growing senior population requiring care and access to services, along with struggling young families. I believe our city needs to support and expand the services we provide with the goal to make them viable and sustainable.
Contact me: 250-572-2605 or Jeanne_marr@hotmail.com www.facebook.com/J.Marr.Kamloops/ Authorized by P Skalozub marr.4.citycouncil@hotmail.com
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Devastating diagnosis for man with terminal prognosis SEAN BRADY STAFF REPORTER sbrady@kamloopsthisweek.com
A Kamloops man who was found to have a rare, aggressive brain tumour has received another devastating diagnosis — a second tumour on the other side of his brain. Darrin Yusishen was diagnosed with glioblastoma on July 20 and underwent surgery to remove the mass a week later. Since then, he’s been recovering and undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. Making the family’s situation even more difficult was the fact Yusishen and wife Tammy typically spend much of their time caring for their 12-year-old daughter Bella, who has a genetic disorder called Cornelia de Lange syndrome and requires constant care. Yusishen’s sister Crystal Maloney said doctors were first concerned when they saw some shadowing on the left side of his brain. His removed tumour was on the right side. The new cancer, gliomatosis, is inoperable, and Maloney isn’t sure what impact this exceedingly rare combination of cancers will have on Yusishen’s already terminal prognosis. “Doctors are telling us that they don’t know what the prognosis is for this. It clearly changes the prognosis, but we don’t really know what that means,” she said. Yusishen began radiation and chemotherapy a week ago and he has his family by his side. The family’s two grandmothers are looking after the couple’s two kids in Kamloops while Tammy and Yusishen’s siblings are with him when they can be. This is a family that knows the hardships of being struck with devastating rare conditions. In addition to their daughter Bella, whose genetic condition affects between just one in 10,000 and one in 50,000 births, Yusishen’s father also had Pick’s disease, a rare degenerative brain disease that causes dementia to rapidly progress. He died in 2010, two years after receiving the diagnosis, and nearly seven years after the onset of symptoms. “It’s really hard to process the injustice of having
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this level of hardship — the burden of these things occurring in our family,” Maloney said. “The injustice of any one of these things happening to a person — it’s so heavy. But when you combine all of these diagnoses, you wonder why. How can you not wonder why?” Yusishen’s story of late revolves around the hardest of luck. Professionally, however, he worked in an industry focused on good luck. After losing his job as a draftsman in the 2008 recession, Yusishen spent time at home caring for his daughter before returning to work at a place he was confident would 2018 annual MeMbership dues thrive regardless of the economy — the B.C. Lottery Membership Category Annual Dues Early Payment* Complimentary Passes* New Member Price Corporation. Now, Yusishen will never return to work and, Full Play (7 Days) $2,100 $2,000 3 $1,800 according to Maloney, he envies those who can. $1,800 $1,700 2 $1,600 Limited (5 Days) “The loss of that piece of his life has been one of Twilight (1pm) $1,400 $1,300 1 $1,300 the greatest hardships for Darrin,” she said. $950 $850 1 $850 Intermediate I (19 - 35) “He’d finally gotten to a place where that piece of $1,300 $1,200 New Member 1 $1,200 Intermediate II (36 - 40) Membership Annual Complimentary his life came Category together, and so to have thatAnnual for such Membership Membership Dues Category Membership Early Membership Payment* Category Category Complimentary Annual Dues Passes* Annual Annual Early DuesNew Payment* DuesMember EarlyEarly Price Payment* Complimentary Payment* Complime Passes* Comp Category Dues Price 1 Passes* $2,000 $1,900 $1,900 Family (Parents 40 & Under) a short amount of time and to be told he can never $600 1 Student (19 - 25 Full Time Student) workPlay again, very painful.” (7it’s Days) $2,100 $2,000 (7 Days) (7 Days) $2,100 3$650 $2,100 $2,100 $2,000$1,800 $2,000 $2,000 3$600 Full Full Play (7 Days) Full Full Play Play $225 $225 N/A $225 Junior (18 & under) For now, the family is looking for the small victories. Last week, following a round of chemotherapy (5 Days) $1,800 (5 Days) $1,700 (5 Days) (5 Days) $1,800 2 $1,800 $1,800 $1,700 $1,600 $1,700 $1,700 2 Limited Limited Limited Limited Social Membership $400 $400 N/A $400 and radiation, Maloney said Yusishen was like his old Twilight Twilight Twilight Twilight (1pm) $1,400 (1pm) $1,300 (1pm) (1pm) $1,400 1 $1,400 $1,400 $1,300$1,300$1,300 $1,300 1 self while he and his family chatted. For additional info please contact: “He even made a couple of jokes. It was so nice brice@kamloopsgolfclub.com Intermediate I (19 -of35)my brother that I love $950 Intermediate - 35) $850 I (19I-(19 35)-Brice 35)MacDermott, $950 1 General Manager: $950$950 $850 $850 $850$850 1 Intermediate Intermediate I (19 because I saw shades and Alec Hubert, Head Professional: proshop@kamloopsgolfclub.com know to be in him, and those pieces have sometimes Intermediate (36said. - 40) $1,300 Intermediate $1,200 - 40) II (36II-(36 40)- 40) $1,300 1 $1,300 $1,300 $1,200$1,200$1,200 $1,200 1 Intermediate Intermediate II (36 *Membership must be paid by December 1st to receive either benefit not been there,”IIshe Partners residing at the same residence will be entitled to a 5% discount on FP & LP Dues The family’s crowdfunding effort has so far raised New member price can not be combined with any other discounts and is available to anyone not a member since 2010 (Parents 40 & Under) $2,000(Parents 40Family &$1,900 Under) (Parents (Parents 40 &40 Under) & Under) $2,000 1 $2,000 $2,000 $1,900$1,900$1,900 $1,900 1 Family Family Family For membership playing privileges, restrictions and additional info please visit www.kamloopsgolfclub.com/rates/membership more than $42,000, but that amount is short of the goal, which important theyStudent try to (19 Student (19Maloney - 25 Fullsaid TimeisStudent) $650 - 25 Student Full Time $600 (19 Student) -(19 25 Full - 25 Time Full Time Student) $650 Student) 1 $650$650 $600 $600 $600$600 1 Student meet because of how financially devastating this has been for(18 her&family. under) $225(18 & under) (18 $225 &(18 under) & under) N/A $225 $225$225 $225 $225 $225$225 N/A N/A Junior Junior Junior Junior She also said it’s important because, at this point, it’s the only thing most people can do for her brother, Social Membership $400 Social $400 Membership N/A $400$400 $400 N/A N/A Social Membership Social Membership $400 $400 $400 $400 www.kamloopsgolfclub.com Get social. Join us online. some security in knowing his family is provided for. “That’s all we can give him now, and he needs to Pay your dues and play for the remainder of 2017 for FREE! know that, because it’s hard for him to know that he’s *Complimentary passes are in addition to the membership. not going to be there for his family,” Maloney said. For additional info please contact: For additionalFor info additional For please additional contact: info info please please contact: contact: The online crowdfunding site can be found at www.kamloopsgolfclub.com 250.376.8020 • admin@kamloopsgolfclub.com Brice MacDermott, General Manager: brice@kamloopsgolfclub.com Brice MacDermott, Brice Brice General MacDermott, MacDermott, Manager: General General brice@kamloopsgolfclub.com Manager: Manager: brice@kamloopsgolfcl brice@kamloopsg https://www.gofundme.com/aggressive-brain‘Kamloops’ preferred golf course’ Get social. Join us online. tumour. Alec Hubert, Head Professional: proshop@kamloopsgolfclub.com Alec Hubert, Head AlecAlec Hubert, Professional: Hubert, HeadHead proshop@kamloopsgolfclub.com Professional: Professional: proshop@kamloopsgolfclu proshop@kamloopsgo
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