Fort Smith schools rally for family hurt by cancers

IC preschool teacher battles through treatment after cancer takes her husband’s life

Published: February 18, 2015

By Maryanne Meyerriecks
Fort Smith Correspondent

Maryanne Meyerriecks

Juan Martinez Jr. (right), wearing his “Miracles for Mr. and Mrs. Martinez” shirt at Trinity Junior High School in Fort Smith Jan. 29, is surrounded by friends holding a sign that says ”Praying for a cure for cancer” in Spanish.

Maryanne Meyerriecks

FORT SMITH — The Fort Smith community came together to support two teachers who were battling cancer.

Marina Martinez, who teaches the 3-year-old class at Immaculate Conception School in Fort Smith, had been diagnosed with large B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma last spring. She went in to a short remission but was advised the Stage 4 lymphoma had returned last fall. Juan Martinez, her husband, taught Spanish at Northside High School. He had been diagnosed with Myeloid Sarcoma in early 2013 and was told it had recurred in an acute form in late 2014.

Immaculate Conception preschool students recently designed a “Miracles for Mr. and Mrs. Martinez” T-shirt. Marina was represented on the shirt with an orange ribbon while Juan was represented by a green ribbon. The T-shirt sale took place as Juan and Marina Martinez battled for their lives at Mercy Hospital Fort Smith.

“My brother learned his cancer had returned on Christmas Day,” Isidra Kaelin said. “He had been experiencing flu-like symptoms and was admitted a few days before Christmas. For part of his hospital stay, he and Marina were in separate rooms. They weren’t allowed to visit each other unless the doctors said they were strong enough, and so, separated by a wall, they ‘Facetimed’ together” on their smart phones.

Juan Martinez entered Mercy Hospice on his 54th birthday and died the following day, Jan. 24.

In between Juan’s death and funeral at Immaculate Conception Church, Marina Martinez kept an important appointment, traveling to University of Kansas Medical Center to be evaluated for her suitability for a bone marrow transplant. When possible, autologous transplants are performed. In this type of transplant, the patient’s own stem cells are reinserted after the patient’s body has been conditioned through chemotherapy and radiation. When that is not feasible, donor transplants are considered.

As Marina Martinez was being evaluated in Kansas, local Catholic schools and Northside High School rallied to support and pray for her and her two children — Valentina, a Northside High School 10th grader; and Juan Jr., a Trinity Junior High School ninth grader.

During Catholic Schools Week Jan. 25-31, Trinity and Christ the King schools held free dress days in return for $3 donations to the Martinez family. St. Boniface School held a weeklong bake sale. Northside High School sold T-shirts.

Immaculate Conception School held a bone marrow donor registry drive Jan. 29, gaining 60 new registrants. Mary LeSueur, a representative of the Be the Match Foundation, was present to help applicants between 18 to 44 years old to determine eligibility. A simple mouth swab was all that was required of eligible registrants.

“A group of Trinity teachers went down to register after school,” Haymée Giuliani, who had taught both Valentina and Juan Martinez, said. “Sixty people joined the bone marrow registry that day.”

Sharon Blentlinger, Immaculate Conception principal, believes that a miracle will happen for her preschool teacher.

“I first met Marina when she registered her children as a parent and volunteered at our school, and as I got to know her I knew that she was the first person I wanted to hire for our preschool because of her beautiful personality. She is the cornerstone of our staff. Everyone loves her, and we are all confident that a miracle is going to happen.”

Immaculate Conception Church has set up an account to support Marina Martinez and her family as she travels back and forth to Kansas for tests and treatments. The Marina Martinez Cancer Fund has been established at Arvest Bank, account number 81589320.

Marina Martinez continues to inspire the Immaculate Conception School community in her absence.

“Even in her difficult battle with cancer she is teaching those around her to be more Christ-like,” Julie Herrold, her friend and co-worker, said. “While she prays for strength and healing, she is drawing her school and church families closer in strength as we band together to let her and her family know we love them. Carpe Diem, Marina.”