Kenechi Udeze Recovering From Leukemia

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Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

Good news out of Minnesota today. Vikings DE Kenechi Udeze announced a pair of remarkable developments in his three-month fight against leukemia. The disease is in remission (he just found out two days ago that his blood and bone marrow were cancer-free) and he found a bone marrow donor (his older brother) for a yet-to-be-scheduled transplant.

Word is that he didn’t believe the diagnosis at first, but he quickly rooted himself in the power of positive thinking and continued to rely on his Christian faith and the support of friends, family and teammates to push through the extra-difficult first few weeks.

“I just kept my faith, and here we are today ….. That’s all I’m focusing on right now. Football’s not going anywhere, and just like football I’m not going anywhere ….. I tell ‘em I have nothing but a cold, because that’s what it feels like. I’m not feeling down or anything like that. That’s the way you have to attack it. You have to have a good attitude and a good mind-set, and that’s something that I naturally always have.”

Kenechi didn’t rule out a return to the NFL this upcoming season, but it looks highly unlikely. An overzealous workout recently resulted in a 105-degree temperature that lasted five days and sent him back to the hospital. But, I’m not about to doubt this guy. My thinking is, he needs to get himself healthy first. If he can work to get back on the field in 2009 — that would be an incredible achievement. And I see that happening.