Bill Walsh is in the fight of his life. He is battling a form of leukemia, cancer of the blood or bone marrow. “If we continue the ongoing treatment the future could look very bright,” he said on the phone today.

The 74-year old Hall-of-Fame coach, who won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, has known about his condition for several years.

“There were indications as far back as 2004,” he said. “I was anemic. I was being treated. When they tested the bone marrow, they found I was deficient.”

He has been undergoing treatment the past month, which at times rendered him ill and weak.

“I’ve had a series of transfusions,” he said. “I’m no longer receiving them, which is working toward my recovery. The worst phase was three to four weeks ago. I’ve come back dramatically since and I’m better.”

How does he feel about his future?

“I’m positive, but not evangelistic,” he said. “I’m pragmatically doing everything my physicians recommend and I’m working my way through it.”

When Walsh has not been seeing doctors, he’s spent most of his time at home in Woodside, trying to regain his strength and caring for his wife Geri, who also is ill. He said he’s been watching football on television “ad nauseam.” He had been interim Athletic Director at Stanford for seven months but gave up that position when Stanford recently appointed Bob Bowlsby as athletic director.

Walsh chose to be silent about his illness with the media to protect his privacy, but talked often with former players. He said about 100 of his players have phoned to express their concern and support. He recently had breakfast with Hall-of-Fame quarterback Joe Montana, the most famous player Walsh ever drafted and developed. Walsh has talked several times on the phone with Steve Young, another 49er Hall-of-Fame quarterback, and they are attempting to set up a meeting. Former 49ers Jerry Rice, Keena Turner and Ronnie Lott have been especially involved and helpful, Walsh said.

Recently, former 49ers owner Eddie De Bartolo, who had heard about Walsh’s illness, flew to California from his home in Florida to see his old coach. There had been trouble between the two men, especially after De Bartolo stripped Walsh of his title as 49ers president. But they patched up their differences years ago. Last summer, Walsh attended a lavish party in Las Vegas De Bartolo threw for former 49ers players and coaches.

De Bartolo drove to Walsh’s house for lunch along with past 49ers president Carmen Policy. “It went great,” Walsh said. “We talked about old times and laughed and teased each other. I felt flattered Eddie would come all that way to see me.”

Walsh finally went public about his illness today. He had been staying away from his office at Stanford for weeks and had not returned phone calls. People were beginning to wonder if something was wrong with him, and Walsh was starting to feel besieged.

“News about me has been circulating,” he said. “It’s been getting back to me. The media has been aware of the possibility of this and has refrained from writing. There are too many people following the progress of this. I felt it was appropriate to confirm what’s happening. I hope now that I have done that, the media will refrain from phoning me.”

Walsh said he has felt more energetic lately. He planned to go to a women’s volleyball game at Stanford tonight, and wants to attend a men’s basketball game Saturday.

“I always felt I’ll accept my fate as it unfolds,” he said. “I have no regrets and, when it was life threatening, I had a lot of considerations about my wife Geri. It appears I’ve gone through that threshold and it may turn out OK, at least for a while.”

Source: Press Democrat