After losing father to cancer, Scotus graduate finds way to fight back

OMAHA When Bill Gannon went to the doctor complaining of back pain, he wasnt expecting the news he got.

In September 2011, the former president of Scotus Central Catholic a title he held from 1997 to 2006 was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Although the diagnosis was hard for his family to handle, Bill stayed strong.

He was very confident he was going to beat this, not once did he waver from a setback, said Chris Gannon, who describes his father as a determined, stoic, positive and stubborn man.

The Gannons turned to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), searching for answers, treatment options and information on this type of cancer.

We hadnt even heard of myeloma until the doctors sat us down and had a talk with us. LLS helped us understand everything from coping assistance to travel vouchers. They even showed us educational things, said Chris, a 1999 graduate of Scotus Central Catholic.

The Gannon family learned multiple myeloma attacks white blood cells. It's also rare, as fewer than 25,000 people are diagnosed with the cancer each year.

During his treatments, Bill continued teaching in Schuyler. He planned to finish the school year, but was forced to retire in October 2012 after a failed stem-cell transplant.

He never doubted he wouldnt beat it until the last two weeks of his life. He finally realized there was nothing left they could do, Chris said. It just got too aggressive, even though we had been trying everything at that point in time.

Bill lost his battle with cancer in January 2013.

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After losing father to cancer, Scotus graduate finds way to fight back