Portola volunteer firefighter battles leukemia

Staff Writer

10/23/2014

Lauri has been on leave from the Portola Fire Department since April, when she was diagnosed with acute leukemia.

Lauri is 67. One day last April, she was shopping with her sister and felt tightness in her chest. By evening it was intense pain. Blood tests at the emergency room showed leukemia.

The next five weeks were intense for Lauri. She spent those weeks at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno getting chemotherapy and blood transfusions. Pete spent nearly every night with her.

Since then Lauri has spent seven days out of every 28 in outpatient chemotherapy. She has had several more whole blood and platelet transfusions.

She said she is feeling much better. But she still gets tired and has to stay away from sick people, as she lacks the antibodies to fight illness.

Lauris doctor at UC Davis, Mehrdad Abedi, has her on a waiting list for a stem cell or bone marrow transplant. He told her chemotherapy will eventually stop working to fight the illness.

The only thing that may save Lauri is a stem cell or bone marrow transplant.

Lauri and Pete owned a sign business in Sparks, Nevada, for 20 years. They have volunteered for Washoe County Search and Rescue since 2000.

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Portola volunteer firefighter battles leukemia