Ingrid Mezo

Friends are hoping the community will help support the Bly family in Emmitsburg as 17-year-old Casey Bly undergoes a bone marrow transplant at Duke University in North Carolina.

Casey, a Catoctin High School senior, was diagnosed with leukemia last May. But, he and his father Patrick are no strangers to coping with cancer. Casey’s brother Christopher died of a brain tumor six years ago, and his mother Ann died of breast cancer that spread to other areas of her body a year later. Patrick Bly has since remarried. He and his wife Beth last year faced the agony of another lost battle with cancer when Casey’s sister Jamie died of bone cancer, which also spread through her body in January 2006.

When Jamie developed cancer, doctors tested the Blys for a genetic disorder known as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, in which the P-53 gene is missing from a person’s chromosomes, suppressing that person’s ability to fight cancer cells, Public Relations Coordinator for the family Kim Moser said. The technology was not available until doctors tested Jamie and Casey, and found both were missing the P-53 gene. The disorder is rare, and it is thought that only around 400 people worldwide from 64 families have it.

Patrick and Beth Bly say that all they can do is hold out hope for Casey’s cure, and be there to support him as he gets treatment.

Beth said that they had to leave their home and their jobs in order for one of them to be with Casey constantly as he undergoes the bone marrow transplant procedure. The Bly family is now in North Carolina. He previously underwent chemotherapy at Georgetown University Hospital.

"It could take three to six months, and you don’t think about it, you just do it," she said. "We did this before [when Casey went through chemotherapy early last year] and we did it for Jamie, too. We keep a positive attitude because that’s all we have. Then, of course, we have our friends. They all just jumped in and overwhelmingly helped us, and they brought the community into it. Casey gets emails from his friends saying, ‘Hey, I saw your story on T.V., or I heard your story on the radio."

Patrick Bly said this time with Casey is hard because he had relied on him in the past to cope while other family members battled cancer.

"He is the third child," Patrick said. "I have in the back of my mind the other two kids, and Casey is really the one, he probably doesn’t know it, but folks go to him. It’s hard for me to understand. I don’t have a lot of choices. I have to deal with what I got… I gotta be as strong as I can and do what I can. If I can get through all this, that’s the best way."

Casey is just a regular kid like most other 17-year-olds who does alright in school, his father said.

"He likes girls," Patrick said. "He likes driving, he likes skateboarding, and playing videogames…He’s got a super attitude. He’s very optimistic, he’s very cooperative, he’s fighting, he’s doing what he’s got to do, [staying] real positive. It just changes your whole world. I’m on the inside looking out. Beth and I have to do it. We’re not running around screaming about it. You just deal with. And some people don’t understand how it impacts you."

In addition to the emotional strain the Bly’s battles with cancer have placed on them, they are experiencing financial hardship.

Friends of the family chose the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to handle the donations received for Casey. People who wish to help may visit the Web site at www.cotaforcaseyb.com, where they can read Casey’s blog, and view dates for a number of fundraisers for him. The group plans to raise $75,000 for him.

Moser said that 100 percent of the money raised will be used to help defray transplant related costs and help support the family. Before Casey comes home, the Blys will need to completely sterilize their house and purchase special house filters and special prepackaged food.

The Blys said they are heartened by the help they have already received from their friends and the community. Tiffany Free, a classmate of Casey’s, raised $5,000 for Casey’s family in the fall 2006, Moser said. She raised most of the money through donations received at Colorfest. Structural Systems in Thurmont also recently started fundraising for Casey, Moser said.

"They’re wonderful," Patrick Bly said. "People are great. It really brings out the community spirit. It reassures me that there are people out there in this world who are willing to help."

Beth Bly said the help they have received so far has bought the family invaluable time together. "Because of their help, we are able to concentrate on Casey and his care and we are able to get him the best care available," she said.

Several of Casey’s friends are looking forward to visiting him in North Carolina, his father said, and there will be room for all of them.

"His girlfriend is really supportive," he said. "She stands by him through all of this."