Maybe some of you can help this customer and land a job

Hi. We've got an approximately 150-200 year old American Elm that has just died of Dutch Elm's Disease : (

Can a totem pole be an Elm? Will it work if the tree was diseased? If yes, do we have to cut it down to carve and then raise it; or can it be carved where it stands?

Just trying to find out before we go any further... Thank you!
Kevin & Laura Greenwald
magicg@comcast.net