Feb 12, 2008 6:27 pm US/Central
Childress: 'Thoughts And Prayers' With Udeze
(WCCO)
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Kenechi Udeze was the Minnesota Vikings number one draft choice in 2004. (File)
Minnesota Vikings
Vikings starting defensive end Kenechi Udeze has been diagnosed with a form of leukemia.
Sources told WCCO that Udeze was not in Minnesota when he found out. He received the news last week and he is now being hospitalized in the Twin Cities.
"With reports surfacing about Kenechi Udeze's condition, we respect the privacy of Kenechi," said head coach Brad Childress. "The thoughts and prayers of the entire Minnesota Vikings organization are with Kenechi and his family."
The seriousness of Udeze's cancer has not been disclosed.
Those close to the situation said Udeze is facing a long process with weeks in the hospital.
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow, and among other forms of treatment down the road is the possibility of a bone marrow transplant.
Sources also told WCCO the Udeze had a clean bill of health at the end of December for his end of the season physical exam. This form of cancer developed that quickly since the first of the year.
Teammates, like fellow defensive lineman Kevin Williams, were also just hearing about Udeze's diagnosis.
"It's very unfortunate with these circumstances that he's in but he's a strong guy, and he'll pull through," said Williams.
Dr. Mark Reding, a University of Minnesota Cancer Center and Medical School hematologist who does not have specific knowledge of Udeze's case, said there are two forms of leukemia, chronic and acute.
People under 65 are almost always diagnosed with the acute form, which requires aggressive chemotherapy. Younger and healthier patients have a wider range of treatment options, Reding said, but from diagnosis to remission the process often takes at least six months.
"Just because somebody's a pro athlete doesn't mean they're going to take it any better than you or I are," Reding said. "This will kick anybody in the teeth, the kind of chemo we're talking about."
A statement of support from USC coach Pete Carroll was posted on his official Web site.
"Kenechi's got a big battle on his hands," Carroll said. "We've been talking with him, and we will continue to support him and send our good wishes and prayers his way. We know he's going to come through strong and compete against this disease like a warrior, like he always has competed."
Udeze was married last year and he and his wife had their first child, Bailey in late November.
Agent Ethan Lock declined to comment on his 24-year-old client.
Udeze was a first-round draft pick out of Southern California in 2004. He has 11 sacks in 51 career games, having missed most of the 2005 season with a knee injury.
Udeze was married last year and he and his wife had their first child, Bailey in late November. Agent Ethan Lock declined to comment on his 24-year-old client. Udeze was a first-round draft pick out of Southern California in 2004. He has 11 sacks in 51 career games, having missed most of the 2005 season with a knee injury.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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