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Local News
Sept. 7, 2006
Challenge of a lifetime
Community rallies for seminarian fighting cancer
By Andrew Junker
The Catholic Sun
Seminary life can be challenging to young men preparing to give themselves to Christ in the priesthood.
Scott Sperry, a 20-year-old Diocese of Phoenix seminarian from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, took on these challenges. Then he learned of one he was not expecting.
On July 9, Sperry was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia.
“We did induction chemotherapy for 28 days where we were on four or five different drugs and steroids,” Sperry said. “It consisted of being in the hospital for the first couple of weeks, and then I got to go home.”
After a brief respite at home, Sperry found himself back in the hospital after suffering two strokes brought about by the medicine.
“It was all side effects. I ended catching
all the one percent of side effects that people normally get. I ended up getting all of it,” he said with a sigh and a smile.
For now, the cancer is in remission. If Sperry continues with two-and-a-half years of consolidation chemotherapy, there is a 50 percent chance it will stay in remission.
If he receives a bone marrow transfusion, the odds jump to 70 percent for full remission.
Sperry’s parish and former high school, Seton Catholic, are determined to find a marrow donor for him.
Laura Tessier, a high school friend of Sperry’s, said the test to find a bone marrow match is simple, quick and painless.
“All it consists of is just a cotton swab to the cheek,” she said.
The potential donor’s information can then be sent to a national registry for bone marrow transplants, where it will be compared to Sperry’s genetic information. If there is a match, the donor will be notified.
On the weekend of Sept. 16-17, both Seton Catholic High School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish will host drives for those interested in becoming bone marrow donors.
Seton’s bone marrow drive will be 9 a.m.-noon, Sept. 16, in the gymnasium. Parish volunteers will be swabbing cheeks on Sunday in Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s McCready Hall after morning Masses.
The response to these drives has been overwhelming, Sperry said. He hopes a local donor can be found, as it will allow him to receive a transplant more quickly than if the donor happens to live elsewhere.
Beyond responding to the marrow drive, local Catholics, high school friends, fellow seminarians, priests and even the bishop have formed a spiritual support system around the young man.
Fr. Don Kine, vocations director for the Diocese of Phoenix, said the outpouring of support shows that “there is a great desire in Phoenix to support our seminarians.”
Our Lady of Mount Carmel parishioners continue to pray a novena everyday after Mass, even though they have long passed the ninth day of prayer.
“They haven’t been willing to stop” the novena, said Julie Gradillas, parish secretary.
“It’s to St. Michael of All Saints,” she continued. “It’s for cancer patients. St. Peregrine is for cancer victims. We’ve decided he’s not a victim. He’s a patient.”
Sperry echoed Gradillas’ hope. He acknowledged that living with cancer is difficult, but added, “It’s something that we’re going to beat.”
“I know that I can’t understand why it happened, but it’s not something that I’m going to let get me down,” Sperry said. “It’s something that I’m going to have to face. It’s a whole new world and it’s a whole new life now.”
More than anything, Sperry wants to return to the Pontifical College Josephinum where he studied last year in Columbus, Ohio.
“The seminary life is exciting and challenging all at the same time,” Sperry said. He enjoyed discerning “with 46 other guys in the college,” 10 of which are from the Phoenix Diocese.
“He’s really missed right now,” Fr. Kline said, noting that Sperry is an excellent student in the seminary and a natural leader.
“I’ve talked to my formation director and the rector, and the school is very supportive. They asked me to take a semester off,” Sperry said.
In the meantime, Sperry prays and makes rosaries, trying to “form a normalcy in praying.”
He also often receives visits from the “Men in Black,” as they’re known by hospital staff, priests from the diocese spending time and praying with him.
Sperry has “kept up his humor,” Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s Julie Gradillas said. “His parents are blessed with a fantastic son. If anything — for their family — you can see the growth. And that’s enabled our parish to do the same.”
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