def checkVitalStatus(allClinDict):

    vsKey = findProperKey ( allClinDict, "vital_status" )
    bcKey = findProperKey ( allClinDict, "bcr_patient_barcode" )

    if ( vsKey == "NO KEY" ):
        print " skipping checkVitalStatus ... "
        return (allClinDict)

    print " running checkVitalStatus ... "

    numClin = getNumPatients(allClinDict)
    print " total number of patients : ", numClin

    numLC = 0
    numDC = 0
    for ii in range(numClin):

        aCode = allClinDict[bcKey][ii]
        curStatus = allClinDict[vsKey][ii]

        doChange = 1
        try:
            newStatus = curStatus

        except:
            try:
                if (curStatus == 0):
                    newStatus = "Alive"
                    numLC += 1
                elif (curStatus == 1):
                    newStatus = "Dead"
                    numDC += 1
            except:
                doChange = 0

        if (doChange):
            allClinDict[vsKey][ii] = newStatus

    if (numLC + numDC > 0):
        print " WARNING: changed some vital status fields ... %d %d " % (numLC, numDC)

    return (allClinDict)