Hi! Nathaniel here, but you can call me Nate. I am an 18-year-old North Carolina Scholar, 2015 graduate of Franklinton High School who graduated with high honors. I am a future student of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, majoring in mechanical engineering.
I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in March 2014, had chemotherapy treatments for six months and was found to be in full remission by October 2014.
At the age of 18, my dad, Mark Brightbill, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent chemo and radiation. The Tuesday after my now husband and I got engaged, he was diagnosed with nodular LP Hodgkin lymphoma (after 30 years in remission).
We were clobbered, like every patient, every family, who gets clobbered with a life-threatening diagnosis.
When I was 38 weeks pregnant, I found a lump on my neck. Doctors couldn't test anything until after my son was born.
In February of 2015, my happy and healthy baby boy, Elliot was born. Just one month later, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. I started chemotherapy in April and after 12 rounds, there was no trace of cancer found in my body.
My Cancer Story/Journey so far:
I was diagnosed 21 years ago at age 44 with low-grade indolent B cell follicular lymphoma.
I lost my big brother Vincent J. Di Cristo to two forms of cancer on February 14, 2014. He apparently had both high grade B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as Burkitt lymphoma. I’m very confused as to how he could have had two different types of cancer because as far as I know, he was always in good health.
In 2011, I had started graduate school, had a two-year-old son, and ran a small business with my then husband. I was very fatigued and having night sweats and itchiness. I thought I was just stressed, and I was, but after several months of trying to get health insurance and then many tests, it was confirmed that I had Hodgkin lymphoma.
At the age of 14 I was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma. The doctors only gave me a 25 percent chance to live. I still remember the day I walked into the ER with my mom to get my CT scan done. Post exam, the doctor muttered,“You have cancer, but don’t worry just yet.
I received a nasty present for my 60th birthday. I was informed that I had stage 4 follicular lymphoma. Wow! Now what do I do? I was referred to a wonderful oncologist, Dr. Stephen Grabelsky, for treatment. Dr.