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Monday, November 16, 2009

Paul Allen Diagnosed with Cancer

Posted by on Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:29 PM

Cnet is reporting that Paul Allen has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and that this memo was distributed by Vulcan CEO and Paul Allen sister Jody Allen:

To employees of Vulcan and affiliates:

I want to let you know that Paul was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

He received the diagnosis early this month and has begun chemotherapy. Doctors say he has diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a relatively common form of lymphoma.

This is tough news for Paul and the family. But for those who know Paul's story, you know he beat Hodgkin's a little more than 25 years ago and he is optimistic he can beat this, too.

Paul is feeling OK and remains upbeat. He continues to work and he has no plans to change his role at Vulcan. His health comes first, though, and we'll be sure that nothing intrudes on that.

We would ask you to respect Paul's privacy and not discuss this outside of the office.

If you have any questions, please ask your EC member.

Thank you in advance for what I know will be all your good thoughts for Paul.

Jody

It's unclear if the memo was leaked to Cnet, but other sources are reporting that the news has been confirmed by a Vulcan spokesperson.

 

Comments (28) RSS

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Reality Check 1
Please don't discuss this outside the office...

Unless of course you want to provide a hot tip to Teh Stranger...

Discuss away..

Way to respect the man's privacy Grant.

But hey ..you got the scoop!
Posted by Reality Check http://www.nraila.org on November 16, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Grant Brissey 2
@ 1. I'm far from having the scoop. Search it yourself.
Posted by Grant Brissey http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Author.html?oid=23414 on November 16, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Sargon Bighorn 3
It must be nice to have all the money needed for the best health care. All others, pray.
Posted by Sargon Bighorn on November 16, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Reality Check 4
Nice edit after my post discussing Cnet....

I really don't care who was first to lay claim to breaking news.. It serves little purpose for any outlet to carry the story, except to provide additional opportunity for revenue generation, patient/family wishes be damned.

I've never been a fan of the Press when they decide to publish information that has little/no public value regarding a non public issue, but rather provides an opportunity for gossip mongering by those with nothing better to do about a family's private medical struggles.
Posted by Reality Check http://www.nraila.org on November 16, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Matt from Denver 5
Right, RC.... because public people always want privacy, which is why they allow their spokespeople to confirm the news that they're ill. Um, yeah.
Posted by Matt from Denver on November 16, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Fnarf 6
I wish Allen a swift and decisive recovery. But one does wonder, one of the world's largest fortunes and no heirs....
Posted by Fnarf http://www.facebook.com/fnarf on November 16, 2009 at 6:35 PM
7
Dumbest Slog commenters of all time:

1) Loveschild
2) Reality Check
3) Fifty-two-eighty
4) Mr. Poe
Posted by FYI yall on November 16, 2009 at 6:42 PM
8
Thanks to Mr. Allen who's tax dollars have built more schools, more streets, more fire stations that every asshole, far left looney on Slogger here.....and then some.

God speed and get well soon.
Posted by DOnald Bradmans on November 16, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Matt from Denver 9
@ 7, still stupid I see.
Posted by Matt from Denver on November 16, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Matt from Denver 10
Whoops, that should be directed @ 8. Although it's not very smart to include 5280 on 7's list...
Posted by Matt from Denver on November 16, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Irena 11
5280's a little rude sometimes, but he's not dumb. And Mr. Poe was PROUD to be dumb. He made dumb the new smart.
Posted by Irena on November 16, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Irena 12
And Reality Check is more belligerent than dumb. But Loveschild, she is dumb.
Posted by Irena on November 16, 2009 at 7:14 PM
Lee 13
@12: No, RC is dumb. Not like slobbering-out-the-side-of-his-mouth dumb, but dumb in the sense of picking dumb fights in dumb places. He clearly hates himself and uses this site to distract himself from that fact and the pain it entails.
Posted by Lee on November 16, 2009 at 7:32 PM
mrbombit 14
Sad. Hope he makes a full recovery.

Posted by mrbombit on November 16, 2009 at 7:53 PM
kim in portland 15
I hope Mr. Allen gets well.

BTW, I like 52-80. He makes me laugh, but I agree that he can be both wicked and rude. But, then can't we all...
Posted by kim in portland http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/11/fast-paced_video_provides_a_fu.html on November 16, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Irena 16
Yeah, @13, you're probably right about that. 5280 is rude, but he redeems himself regularly enough that I can't take it too seriously. I get the feeling that I probably wouldn't mind him too much in person. But RC I would not like. He has no redemptive qualities at all.

Anyway. I feel bad for anyone who has to deal with cancer. Hope to see your yacht in the harbour this summer, Paul.
Posted by Irena on November 16, 2009 at 8:19 PM
gloomy gus 17
I hope his treatment succeeds, for he is a longtime favorite whipping boy of mine.

That said, if his (super-successful) treatment leads to hair loss, instead of wrapping a Bret Michaels neckerchief around his head he might try different wig shapes and heights - it's his chance to loosen up and finally solve his deeply troubling look. For the sake of the healthy decades of throwing his weight around to come.

Speaking of which: any chance the timing made this "leak" today serve as handy political stool-softener for yesterday's McGinn announcement of a bunch of Vulcans as transition advisers? Yeah, kind of a stretch, didn't think so.
Posted by gloomy gus on November 16, 2009 at 8:27 PM
18
cure for cancer in 3..2...1
Posted by Kyleen on November 16, 2009 at 10:05 PM
19
you guys are all fags
Posted by bickering bitches on November 16, 2009 at 10:15 PM
20 Comment Pulled (Spam) Comment Policy
COMTE 21
I don't have a dog in this fight, but P.A. if you or any of your minions are monitoring SLOG, you should definitely hie your ass the few blocks over to Fred Hutch/SCCA - best in the biz vis-a-vis cancer treatment.
Posted by COMTE http://www.chriscomte.com on November 16, 2009 at 10:34 PM
22
The blood cancers notoriously can come back, usually as a different one. I had a friend who survived three bouts with Hodgkins, but sadly not a fourth.

She grew up in a National Sacrifice Zone, though, while Allen's pretty much spent his life in Washington state. Are there any radiation zones besides Hanford?
Posted by Radio Active on November 16, 2009 at 11:25 PM
23
Idaho Falls - reactor production for nuke subs and carriers

I bet
Posted by Need Coffee on November 16, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Karlheinz Arschbomber 24
I really dislike almost all of what this public nuisance has committed to all of us over the years, but even so, wish him a full and speedy recovery.
Posted by Karlheinz Arschbomber http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arschbombe on November 17, 2009 at 2:48 AM
William T. Fuckweiler 25
I was pretty much laid off on account of that guy's orders (indirectly), so meh.... Fuck him. I'm not joining the "Oh, life's so precious, Love thine enemies" brigade around here. There's too many humans on the planet and when an ass-sucking bastard gets it (as opposed to random 5-year-old girls), the angels sing.
-
Posted by William T. Fuckweiler on November 17, 2009 at 9:17 AM
William T. Fuckweiler 26
Oh hey, as to the "his taxes pay for (etc etc)" guy, what percent of his income did he pay for those things? Same as me? Less? Not fair. If I get lymphoma, I'm dead as a fucking duck, guaranteed. No health insurance, and even if I did, it wouldn't cover that enough to save me. So fuck Paul Allen straight in his cancer-ridden ass.
Posted by William T. Fuckweiler on November 17, 2009 at 9:19 AM
Matt from Denver 27
@ 26, Bradmans is a stupe. His opinion doesn't matter here.
Posted by Matt from Denver on November 17, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Will in Seattle 28
@26 is correct - most billionaires pay a total tax burden of between 8 and 10 percent of their total income.

You, on the other hand, in this state and this city, pay about 4 times that as a percent of your income.

(note - I include ALL INCOME, taxable or not)
Posted by Will in Seattle http://www.facebook.com/WillSeattle on November 17, 2009 at 10:35 AM

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