Whitefish man battles rare blood disease
Rich Marriott has always been an active
guy, going on backcountry skiing trips in winter and working
construction in the summer.
These days he stays as active as
possible, but it’s difficult when his body is fighting a rare blood
cancer that requires continuous blood transfusions and treatments.
It has been difficult for him to work his job at Knife River
leaving him and his wife, Lindy, to pay extra for their health
insurance.
Moving to the Flathead Valley in 1976,
the couple opened the Whitefish Nordic Ski Center a few years
later, guiding skiing and camping trips. The couple owned Marriott
Concrete Inc. doing curb and gutter work around the valley. He
served on the state School Land Trust board.
Marriott has Waldenstrom’s
macroglobulinemia, a slow-growing cancer that impacts the immune
system. Doctors discovered the cancer after Marriott became
severely ill while recovering from hip replacement surgery. He
began chemotherapy treatments last year and eventually underwent a
bone marrow transplant at a Utah hospital.
Marriott continues with treatments and
blood transfusions to keep the cancer at bay, but has begun a new
battle. The Marriott’s insurance company has declined coverage for
the ongoing therapy needed for his treatment.
They are in their second appeal, but
the bills are now more than $100,000.
“The bills are just mounting,” Lindy
said. “It’s like the rug has been pulled out from under us. It’s
caused a lot of stress.”
“They’ll pay if you have the right type
of cancer,” Rich said. “But you can’t pick your cancer. If it’s
rare or the treatment is experimental, they won’t pay.”
The couple was already financially
stretched when they received the denial notice from the insurance
company after paying to live in Utah for a few months when Rich
underwent the bone marrow transplant. Now, they’re grateful to
friends and neighbors who have helped.
“Our neighbors stacked wood and plowed
for us,” Lindy said. “They have come through for us. Now they’re
holding a chili feed. It’s pretty cool.”
The Corporate Angel Network continues
to provide the couple with free air travel as Rich travels to Utah
for check ups.
“We want them to know we appreciate
it,” added Rich.
A chili feed and auction fundraiser for
the Marriotts is Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Moose Lodge in Whitefish.
The event begins at 5 p.m. with a selection of gourmet chili,
salads and desserts, a cash bar, and lively music by The Bad Larrys
and The Maw Brothers. There will be a $10 cover charge at the
door.
A cash raffle will take place alongside
live and silent auctions. The live auction by Gardner Auction
includes an amazing antique Colt pistol, vacations to Hawaii, fine
art, tools, sporting goods and more. Silent auction tables will be
rotating throughout the evening with hundreds of other offerings
from the community.
For more information see the Facebook
page “Benefit Fundraiser for Rich Marriott” or call Lael Gray at
837-2913 or Karol Conrad at 862-9708. If you are unable to attend
but would like to help donations can be made to the Rich Marriott
Benefit Fund at Parkside Credit Union in Whitefish.