Al Furuta-valued memeber of our community, husband and father.

Al was diagnosed with multiple myeloma almost 11 years ago. Multiple myeloma is an incurable form of cancer of the bone marrow and   so far AL has out survived the odds.  Since then he has undergone several different treatments including 3
stem cell transplants, a very dangerous procedure because it
renders your immune system virtually unprotected during and after the treatment.  The second stem cell transplant put him in partial remission for several years and he was also undergoing Interferon treatment during this time.  He found in February that his cancer was back and flew back to Little Rock, AK, when he underwent a third stem cell transplant on an outpatient basis because he was concerned about the medical expenses.  Again, since this is a dangerous procedure, most patients are hospitalized and often isolated so as to protect them from sources of infection (not our AL!)  Al has been going through his treatments at the University of Arkansas Medical Center because this is THE place that is considered the foremost facitility in the treatment of multiple myeloma.  His local doctor is at St. Johns and coordinates things with Little Rock.  Sure enough, Al's medical insurance would not approve his most recent stem cell transplant which has left Al with medical bills of $60,000 -80,000.
(I've heard this figure but I will need to do more research on this.  It is at least $50,000 plus)  Al is in remission again --- YEA!!! But still undergoing dialysis several times a week because of kidney damage he has suffered.  He gets up at 4:00 a.m. on his treatment days to go to dialysis and then get to work on time.  He is also on a steroid treatment .He's still managing two branches (Costa Mesa and Santa Monica) of California Bank and Trust.  I think Al is almost Superman. 
                                                       Linda