Walsh enduring stem cell battle in hospital

University of Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh has spent the last week in the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Md. as the expected battle between brother Kevin’s transplanted stem cells and Walsh’s own cells is taking place.

The hope is that Kevin Walsh’s stem cells, transplanted in his brother 40 days ago, will destroy the remaining cancerous cells in his brother’s body. The Bear coach has a form of kidney cancer called renal cell carcinoma.

“This is no surprise to anyone. This is exactly what his doctors wanted to have happen. If he didn’t have a reaction, they would have tried to force a reaction. Shawn has a rash and some intestinal tract discomfort. They warned him ahead of time that this will happen. This occurs between 30-45 days after the stem cell transplantation. My cells are beating him up a little bit,” said Kevin Walsh.

“Shawn is fine. I talked to him tonight [Monday]. He isn’t bed-ridden. He’s walking around. He’s there to make sure he keeps his fluid levels up and that he is absorbing his medications,” added Kevin Walsh.

Shawn Walsh hopes to return to Orono for the Maine hockey alumni weekend this weekend.

“That’s still the plan. It has been a wait-and-see thing all along. His doctors never told him it was 100 percent assured that he would be able to return to Orono for the alumni weekend,” said Kevin Walsh. “It’s day-by-day. It will depend upon how his body reacts. Every single case is different.”

His older brother is upbeat but understandably frustrated by the ordeal.

“He sounds good. He looks great. He just wants this to be over. He’s not the kind of guy who wants to be stuck somewhere. It will be a year next week that he was diagnosed. He wants to sleep in his own bed and mow his own grass,” said Kevin Walsh who added that Shawn had walked up to a mile and a half before being hospitalized a week ago.

Walsh’s wife, Lynne, is with him.

The timetable for stem cell transplant patients to be able to return to their homes permanently is 100 days but some have returned as soon as 60 days after the transplant.

The alumni weekend will include a 4 p.m. hockey game on Sunday, the retirement of Paul Kariya’s No. 9 jersey, and a golf tournament on Monday, beginning with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

“Shawn was putting together the foursomes for the golf tournament yesterday,” said Kevin Walsh who also said his brother monitored the NHL draft this past weekend and can’t wait for next season.

“He wishes the season started next week,” said Kevin Walsh. “That’s what he loves. That’s his life.”

The 46-year-old Walsh has compiled a 399-215-44 record in his 17 seasons at Maine and has led his Bear teams to 11 NCAA Tournament berths and two national championships.