Our father Victor was diagnosed in 1998 at the age of 30 with Burkitt non-Hodgkin lymphoma (BL). He was living in Los Angeles, California, at the time and had just gotten engaged to my mother, Debra. He began not feeling well and was diagnosed with a small mass in his stomach.
In January 2021, I received my diagnosis after five months of multiple doctor visits, blood work, and biopsies. I had no common symptoms such as night sweats or fatigue, just a small lump behind my ear. It was removed, and the pathology came back as non-cancerous.
I’m a musician from Missouri, now Tennessee named Jashon Hockaday (Jae Alxndr). I’ve been making music in the fore and background for a while now. My life changed when I was diagnosed with primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the mandible.
In 1970, I was playing baseball in high school as a freshman, playing second base. A bully made a hit and ran from first to second base, tackling me. I got into a fight with him because of the pain I was feeling in my left hand. After the fight, I needed to go to the hospital.
Part 1: A Survivor’s Mission
I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1998 at the age of 38. My participation in a clinical trial included a stem cell transplant, five chemotherapy sessions, and full-body radiation treatments. I am an advocate for participation in clinical trials, which paves the way for new treatments or prevention methods.
I thought it was 'just another torn meniscus' back in the fall of 2019. The symptoms and signs all seemed too familiar and I just knew I'd have to get my meniscus repaired again, but this time in my left knee.
Heather Banks draws her inspiration from her good friend, who has been fighting non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for the past 10 years and her college best friend who is a survivor. She is motivated by her friends’ strength, determination, and positivity. In times of feeling helpless, she channels that energy and puts it into her sewing machine.
At age 38, I was a wife and mom of three active boys. I worked as a preschool teacher. My days were spent surrounded by children, even when I was not working. In the fall of 2018, I began feeling really tired and I was suffering from chronic back pain and abdominal pain. I also was losing a great deal of weight.
