Nearly 30 years ago, Brian Laney of Payson had just returned home from a Latter-day Saint mission to find his older brother Michael Laney fighting for his life after a recent cancer relapse. Michael’s only chance at surviving was an experimental bone marrow transplant, and Brian was the only member in his family who was a match.

Brian and Michael’s mother, Elizabeth Laney recalled the time as being extremely difficult and tender in many ways. She explained that Michael was diagnosed with what’s called acute lymphoblastic leukemia while in the Missionary Training Center in Provo. After a seven month hospital stay, Michael was able to complete his 2-year mission in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and then attend two years at Brigham Young University. It was then when the cancer returned.

The family lived in Payson at the time, and the family matriarch said how grateful she was for the community support. 

“The people were so very nice,” she said. “Our insurance wouldn’t cover University of Utah, which is where Michael had the transplant. The local wards held fundraisers and they held a big carnival and everything to help pay for it.”

The Laney family and community held out hope, but the cards were stacked against 23-year-old Michael. He passed away on August 15, 1995 with complications following a bout with pneumonia.

Brian’s Battle

Today, Brian, now 50, is enduring his own battle with cancer. Unfortunately, the cards are currently stacking against him with his condition recently entering the blast phase where his cancer has begun to spread. Brian’s eldest brother, Shon Laney said that it is a difficult thing to watch another brother go through this. 

“Even though Brian is my brother, he is one of my best friends,” Shon said. “We have worked together for 15 years at Camp Williams, and even if he wasn’t my brother, I would have chosen him as a friend. Right now it’s kind of a tough time, but it is also a time of reflection on family, and struggles like these bring family closer together.”

Brian was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in Jan. 2023, and was told that if he was going to get cancer, this was the type to get due to its slow progression and treatability. His wife, Marilee Laney explained feeling hopeful that her husband would make it through. 

“It was being managed really well with just the daily chemo and most CML patients have a longer life expectancy,” Marilee said. “His numbers were getting to the safe zone and then he started to have other health problems.”

Brian developed some infections in his body that weren’t responding to antibiotics and there were also cancer cells that weren’t responding to treatment. Then, without warning, less than 18 months after his initial diagnosis, the cancer started to spread into the final stage of cancer. 

“This diagnosis is hard on the family because they’ve already lived through it,” Marilee said. “It has reopened the wound.”

Elizabeth acknowledged how difficult it was to get the news from Brian – especially since he was the one who donated marrow all those years ago. She said that during difficult times, she leans on her faith. 

 “It’s kind of rough. You’re not supposed to outlive your children,” Elizabeth said. “But, you know, we always had faith in the Savior and the resurrection and the Atonement and it does make it easier to believe in life after this life.” 

Brian had very few words, but said that he has a newfound sympathy for what his older brother went through all those years ago.

“I know my brother went through it and I know that a lot of people go through it but it’s something you’d have to experience to understand the toll it takes on you,” Brian said. “I’ve gained a new understanding of what people go through.”

Holding out hope

While Brian’s cancer has entered into the final stage, and it is spreading, there is hope in treatment, that wasn’t readily available when Michael was alive, will bring it back to the chronic phase. That hope is what the Laney family is holding on to. 

“There is hope that it’s treatable if the chemotherapy works like they hope that it will,” Elizabeth said. “The hope is that they can get it back to that beginning stage so then they can treat him with the targeted drugs again.” 

For the foreseeable future, Brian will rotate in and out of the hospital for treatments, and is currently at home with his family in Payson. 

“When Brian told us that he had cancer, he said, ‘I want you to know that I’m OK with whatever happens … ‘I’ve raised my kids and I’ve had a good life,’” Elizabeth recalled. 

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to assist with treatments by searching “Support Brian Laney, Bone Marrow Donor in His Cancer Fight.”