Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
                         May 24, 2002

Point community rallies round one of its own

Story and photo by Kathy Eastwood
Staff Writer

Being in the military can be tough, especially during times of personal crisis. At those times, most people turn to their families for comfort but, for some military families, immediate help is far away.

One such family in the West Point community, the Kwinns, has recently discovered that the Army family can be a great substitute.

Lt. Cols. Mike and Bridget Kwinn met at West Point and graduated in 1984. Eighteen years and two children later, both are back at the academy working in Systems Engineering.

The parents of Michael Kwinn III, 13 and Cheryo, 15, the Kwinns are in the throes of a major life-altering crisis. In March, Michael was diagnosed with Anaplastic Astrocytoma Grade 3, an extremely rare malignant tumor growing on his brain stem.

The crisis began in mid-Feburary, Kwinn said, when his son began to experience severe headaches and vomiting episodes. After being tested for Meningitis, young Mike was treated for a severe sinus infection. Finally, when the allergy treatments didn’t work and, at the insistence of his father, the boy underwent an MRI at Keller Hospital here where they found the mass on his brain stem. An immediate consultation was arranged with Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bridget Kwinn, who was stationed in Korea at the time, was immediately granted compassionate leave. That was the first time the Army stepped in to make things easier.

"I was scheduled to come back from Korea in June anyway, but USMAG expedited my paper work for a compassionate leave and got me back in March," Bridget said.

Michael went to Walter Reed for surgery where they found the tumor to be inoperable. Walter Reed then referred the Kwinns to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City for six weeks of radiation treatments designed to shrink the tumor, a preparatory treatment before beginning an aggressive chemotherapy regime.

The Kwinns said Walter Reed referred them to Sloan-Kettering so they could stay here and Michael could stay in school.

"People worked very hard to keep us together," Mike Senior said. "We wanted to stay together as a family. It would have been a nightmare had we had to stay in Washington."

Once word of Michael’s disease became known, the Kwinns were taken by surprise at all the people who offered help, from the top down.

"If I were in the private sector, all they would do is to tell me that they are really sorry, but you only have this many sick days," Mike Kwinn said. "There may be some negatives, like separation from family, but this is the great time to be in the military."

Kwinn said his family received incredible support from the command.

"Lt.Gen. Lennox, my boss Col. Mike McGinnis, the head of the SE Department, and the Dean have ensured that we have the freedom to do what we need to do, allowing us to take care of Michael," he explained. "We’re still doing our duty, but they are making sure that we have all we need.

"Betty Melick, McGinnis’s office supervisor and a good friend of the family has helped tremendously," Kwinn continued. "When we were worried about getting orders while trying to get Michael down to Walter Reed and TDYs and hotel reservations, Betty stepped in and took care of all those things for us.

He also found that the support wasn’t limited to just the higher ranking members of the installation.

"The outpouring of support from all the members of the Long Gray Line has been unbelievable," Kwinn added. "Michael is on prayer chains from Maine to Maui and all points in between."

Bridget said they were having trouble keeping up with all the cards and phone calls they receive every day. The football and basketball teams sent autographed balls, she added. And the number of offers from people wanting to provide meals has been incredible.

"The waiting list to provide meals is longer than the list for Giants season tickets," Kwinn said. "Even General and Mrs. Lennox brought us dinner."

Another way the community has pitched in has been to fulfill Michael’s wish. When asked what he wanted, the younger Kwinn said he wanted to raise money for brain tumor research so other people wouldn’t have to go through this. And the community didn’t let him down.

"We raised $10,000 in two days for research through a 5k walk in Washington, D.C.," Kwinn said.

Michael has lost his hearing in his right ear, which is permanent and surgery has left him with a scar and an eye that can’t close completely. However, his symptoms have improved and he has not suffered headaches or the nausea that he once felt before the surgery and radiation treatments.

"One of the scariest things for me was wondering how it was going to be for him when he went back to school, because of his scar; it’s not the prettiest thing in the world," Bridget Kwinn said. "But the first day back he rode the bus and the kids were fine. No one ever made him feel strange or different but just kept him being who he is, which was really good to see."

"Kids didn’t come up to me an ask me a lot of questions. I just went to school," Michael added.

His sister Cheryo said her classmates are very concerned about her brother.

"Kids in my school are always asking how he’s doing and what they can do to help because they are all worried about him," Cheryo said.

Michael will be facing chemotherapy treatments in July. Bridget and Mike are well aware of the side affects these can cause, so they have decided to go on vacation.

"Michael always wanted to go on an Alaskan cruise and that is what we will be doing before he starts the chemotherapy," Mike said.

The Kwinns are certain the community will be there when they return to help the family through whatever the future holds.

"As I said before, it’s a great time for us to be in the Army," Kwinn said. "The community support has given us both the strength and the ability to do what we have to do."