Fundraisers set for woman with rare form of leukemia

Three area fundraisers have been scheduled including one this week for Havre resident and longtime Havre Public Schools employee Eileen Viall, who is in Seattle awaiting a bone marrow transplant for a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia.

Viall was diagnosed with AML Feb. 2 and went to Great Falls to receive three weeks of chemotherapy. She then travelled to Seattle to receive additional chemotherapy and blood transfusions. Viall's husband, Monty, accompanied her to be by her side, as well as the hospital requiring him to be only 30 minutes away.

They are now waiting in Seattle for Eileen Viall's bone marrow transplant, also known as stem cell transplant, while her children Josh, 23, and Amanda, 20, both stay in Havre.

"She is very tired and worn out from the chemotherapy," Monty Viall said.

He added that she just got out of the hospital last Wednesday after she was admitted for a cold and pneumonia.

Viall said these illnesses affected his wife badly since she had no white blood cells building up again after the last round of chemotherapy. Her illnesses have forced her bone marrow transplant to be pushed back to the middle of May.

Viall said he and his wife will be moving to the Pete Gross House which are furnished apartments near the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance outpatient clinic that can be rented by patients and their families who need somewhere isolated to live for their health.  

Viall said Seattle-area friends, some of them former Havre residents, have reached out to help the family with housing and other offers, which he said he is very appreciative of. Since the chemotherapy, though, the hospital would like Eileen Viall to live somewhere where she can build her strength and immune system.

This Thursday Taco John's Crunch for a Cause will be benefiting Eileen Viall and the her family. From 5 to 7 p.m. anyone can go in and show the fundraiser flyer or mention it is for the "Benefit for Eileen Viall" and 50 percent of the entire purchase will be given to the fundraiser.

Two future events will be a May 19 Benefit Dinner and Fundraiser and a Pizza Hut Fundraiser June 14.

The Benefit Dinner and Fundraiser will be held at Havre Eagles' Club where Eileen Viall is a member and will include free-will offering, pulled pork dinner and a silent auction.

Benefits from the fundraisers will be used to help pay for living costs while in Seattle, medical bills, and housing and utility costs for the family's Havre home.

Anyone who would like to donate silent auction items can contact Sue Swan at 265-5703.

A benefit account has been set up in Viall's name at Bear Paw Credit Union as well as a GoFundMe account at https://www.gofundme.com/help-eileen-fight-aml-leukemia/.