Alberta politician battles myeloma

Economic Development Minister Clint Dunford said Friday he was diagnosed recently with myeloma, or cancer of the bone marrow.

"My mental spirits are fine. I'm not depressed. And I'm not scared," Dunford, 62, told reporters in Red Deer at the Progressive Conservative party's policy convention.

Dunford, the MLA for Lethbridge West, said the cancer verdict came after months of ongoing discomfort which he wrote off as nothing serious.

"I've been suffering back pain," Dunford said. "This was nothing new. I just thought it was a recurrence of old back injuries, so I was going to chiropractors, and it was actually a chiropractor that got me on the right road." When the chiropractor said his X-ray looked suspicious, Dunford paid for an MRI scan and got the diagnosis last month.

He said he was given several options and chose the most aggressive form of treatment, which will involve stem-cell transplants and chemotherapy.

Premier Ralph Klein said the entire caucus is offering its support and three other ministers, Ed Stelmach, Rob Renner and Lyle Oberg, will share Dunford's duties until he's well enough to return to cabinet.

A philosophical Dunford said he considers himself "young and relatively healthy" and is optimistic that he still has many years ahead.

© The Edmonton Journal 2005