Woodland Hills coordinator fights to be on the field
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Woodland Hills' Bill Morton instructs players at practice Wednesday.
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It doesn't matter how poorly Bill Morton feels from his first chemotherapy treatment. It doesn't matter how he feels because of all the medications he has been taking the past few months, or how weak a rare disease has made him.
Morton insists he will be on the Heinz Field sideline tonight, calling defensive signals for the Woodland Hills football team.
After all, he promised.
"I made a promise to these kids," Morton said. "I said I'm not leaving this team until we get to the WPIAL championship. Believe me, it's been a struggle the last few weeks. But darn right, I'll be there. I didn't go through all this to miss this game."
Woodland Hills plays North Allegheny in the WPIAL Class AAAA championship tonight at Heinz Field. Morton is Woodland Hills' defensive coordinator who is battling POEMS syndrome, a rare multisystem disorder that affects organs and different parts of the body. The disease can cause enlargement of organs and severe weakness. Morton had his first chemotherapy treatment Friday.
"I told [Woodland Hills coach] George Novak that, even if I have to go to the game in a wheelchair, I'll be there," Morton said.
Morton's story and his fight against POEMS is inspiring everyone, from Woodland Hills players to opponents. When the seven coaches in the WPIAL Class AAAA Big East Conference got together a few weeks ago to pick their coach of the year, they selected Morton, 62,who has been coaching at Woodland Hills for 15 seasons. That is unheard of because the award always has gone to a head coach.
"You see sometimes how sick he is, and you think, 'If he can still coach, then why can't we do what we should on the field?' " said Quinton Jefferson, a standout defensive end for Woodland Hills. "He's kind of brought us all together and shown us how much we should appreciate life and cherish each other. We know this could be the last time he's coaching us."
POEMS syndrome can be treated much like cancer. For months, Morton has been taking medications, including chemotherapy pills. On Friday, he had his first chemotherapy treatment injected directly into a port in his chest. He will be taking heavy doses of other medication in order to get him ready for a stem cell transplant Dec. 14.
First Published November 27, 2010 12:00 am
