Return of mayor welcome sight

It’s good to see Mat-Su Borough Mayor Curtis Menard back on the job and as involved as ever representing the Borough and its many departments.

Whether you’re a supporter of how the Borough operates or a critic, all can be pleased to see Menard back at meetings as he recovers from his latest round in his fight against multiple myeloma, a progressive blood cancer. He was diagnosed in June 2003 and this past October underwent a stem cell treatment that has included strong chemotherapy. As cancers go, multiple myeloma is the second-most diagnosed blood cancer after non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation reports. There is no cure, and about 30 percent of people with myeloma die in the first five years.

That’s a sobering reality to face. We support Menard and applaud the example he’s setting for others with cancer and other diseases that life doesn’t stop with a diagnosis. Many elected officials say they’re dedicated and will repeat that as a pledge around election time. For Menard, even while undergoing cancer treatments in a Seattle hospital, he was keeping up with Borough business and even attending meetings via the telephone.

Although there is no cure, there are treatments, including the stem cell procedure Menard went through. And that scary statistic about the death rate in the first five years hasn’t soured Menard. Although individuals are not statistics, this summer will be five years since Menard’s diagnosis, and it’s a good sign that he’s aggressively attacking the cancer and is back in the office Valley voters put him in.

The Menard family is no stranger to tragedy and serious illness, and we have seen Curtis, Linda and their family battle this latest challenge with the same tenacity and fierce determination that saw them through earlier ordeals. We admire the Menards’ commitment to this community and will continue to keep the Menards in our thoughts and prayers as they carry on their fight against this illness.