With the grace under pressure that epitomized his long tenure of service to the town of Malta, the Rev. Peter Klotz shared with his congregation at St. Peter Lutheran Church and with town officials news Sunday, Sept.23, that he will depart for the Dana Farber Center in Boston early next month to seek treatment for leukemia.
Klotz earned a resounding vote of confidence from the town’s registered Republicans on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at the primary polls when he garnered the highest number of votes to be endorsed as a party candidate. That same day, Klotz and his wife, Ann, received the news of his diagnosis, although as yet, the exact type of the disease has not been conclusively identified.
Until specialists know for certain which form the illness has taken, Klotz’s exact avenue of treatment remains open.
There are many different kinds of leukemia and which type I have is still not completely clear, said Klotz.
Doctors found anomalies in his blood counts in late August after doing lab work on Klotz for other minor, unrelated symptoms. Because the leukemia was caught early, chances for successful treatment are high.
`My doctors are using the word ‘cure,’` said Klotz.
After arriving at the Dana Farber Center on Wednesday, Oct. 3, Klotz will be evaluated by teams of experts who will identify the type of leukemia and make recommendations for treatment. One of his options will likely be some of the new super drugs just off medical trials and showing very positive results.
Another option may be a bone marrow transplant, for which Klotz may have a high enough count of healthy blood cells to serve as his own bone marrow donor. If a transplant is called for, physicians will begin looking for a bone marrow donor match. One of six siblings with a large extended family, Klotz said he feels confident a donor would be located among his relatives.
On Sunday, Klotz was following doctor’s orders and keeping a short distance away from his parishioners to limit possible contact with germs that could cause a common cold.
`That means very few handshakes, which is tough for me,` said Klotz, who is known to be gregarious.
Klotz said aside from feeling fatigued from time to time, the illness has come on with few symptoms.
`All along, the doctors have told me that there has been no need to change my routine or level of activity related to St. Peter’s, the town or the campaign, just to rest when I feel tired,` said Klotz.
At the Republican primaries last week, Klotz earned the lion’s share of the votes, with 665 in total, compared to candidate Tara Thomas, who received 569 votes, and Donna Gizzi, who received 515 votes.
Klotz has been the chairman of the Malta Planning Board for three years and a member of the planning board for seven years. He chairs the Malta Ethics Committee; is a member of the Planning Zoning Update Committee; a member of the Malta Emergency Management Committee; a member of the Saratoga Emergency Planning Committee; and a Certified Emergency Response Team Trainer. He is a 20-year member of the Malta Ambulance Corps, where he has served as president, captain and treasurer, responding with the team to more than 1,000 calls.
Klotz founded St. Peter Lutheran Church in Malta 19 years ago. He has been an ordained minister for 24 years. He was a two-term dean of the Hudson Mohawk Conference. Klotz was born in Schenectady and graduated from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and religious studies at SUNY Buffalo, and his master of divinity degree from the Lutheran Theology Seminary at Philadelphia. Klotz, who celebrated his 50th birthday this year, and his wife, Ann, have two sons, David and Peter.
St. Peter Lutheran Church has undergone a massive building project nearing completion this year, which was led by Klotz and church council members, to accommodate more parishioners and respond to the growth in the town of Malta.
Members of the parish responded to Klotz’s health news with a sense of optimism and faith that reflected their deep and abiding respect for the minister.
`His leadership has given us strength and confidence to support him through the whole process, whatever it entails,` said Richard Gaudet, church council president. `We know and feel he will overcome this. He has created strength in his church that would be difficult to muster in any other area church, and we’re ready to give back all he has given to us.`
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