I. Let's Start at the Beginning

On April 11, 2019 I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) stage 2A. Now, some of you may be saying, "um.. what in the world is that?", others may have heard of this disease before, some may know of a family member or friend affected by it, and some of you may be survivors or even currently fighting. Whatever your background knowledge is, fear not, I am here to be your personal HL guide! But before I begin, I want to set the record straight. I am by no means a doctor, oncologist, nurse, or spokeswoman for HL. I am simply a 25-year-old daughter, sister, girlfriend, friend, co-worker, and acquaintance whose world was [figuratively] flipped upside down four months ago by the big ol' C. Yup, that's right. Cancer. Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a rare form of cancer that originates in the body's lymphatic system. It's so rare, in fact, that the likelihood of being diagnosed with HL in the U.S. is about 1 in 200,000 per year. Let's put that into perspective. The likelihood of getting struck by lighting is 1 in 700,000. Those numbers, in my mind, aren't TOO far off...right? Ok, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic. What I'm trying to say is that there's really no reason why I, a young, active, healthy woman with no pre-existing conditions or illnesses would have been diagnosed with HL. Or is there?

While HL is a rare diagnosis, it's actually most commonly seen in early adulthood, especially in a person's 20s. HL is common in both males and females, but is slightly higher in males. What about family history? Well, here's where it gets a bit dicey. According to the American Cancer Society, "brothers and sisters of young people with this disease have a higher risk of HL, and the risk is very high for an identical twin of a person with HL". With that being said, a clear family link is still uncommon. In fact, most people diagnosed with HL do not have a family history of it at all. So what about in my case? Well, the only scientifically-based risk factor that I have is my age. However, I do want to mention that my maternal grandmother had HL at the age of 28, and was treated with high-intensity radiation (Cobalt radiation to be exact). Is this just simply a coincidence? As of now we don't know. And if you were wondering, my grandmother (Memom) survived HL and lived until the age of 75 - enjoying a lifetime of happiness with her family and friends.

From the beginning of my diagnosis, I have been very open about my journey with cancer. And no, it's not to gain sympathy or "pity likes" on social media (although the overwhelming comments and love I received on a picture of my newly shaved head back in May did give your girl some added confidence!). But my willingness to share my journey came from an overwhelming desire to raise awareness. Just today, as I sat down to write this post, my dad walked into my room and asked "Why are you so adamant about sharing all of this?" I thought about it for a split second, and responded with a somewhat (excuse my French) half-assed answer "I just feel like I need to". When my dad left my room, I thought about his question a bit more deeply and came up with a more appropriate and slightly long-winded answer. So here it is:

1. Many people diagnosed with cancer do not end up as lucky as me. Whether it's due to a more aggressive cancer diagnosis, one that does not respond as well to treatment, or maybe one that is deemed incurable. For whatever the reason may be, an estimated 609,640 people will lose their lives to this horrible disease (NCI, 2018). After being deemed cancer free on July 26, 2019 I promised myself I would share my story for those who may have wanted to, but never got the chance.

2. Individuals going through cancer treatment often carry a mark or stigma that sets them apart from "the norm". While cancer patients are much less stigmatized in today's world, I hope to break some of the negative notions that may continue to be discussed or silently thought.

3. An overwhelming number of individuals have contacted me since I shared the news of my cancer; asking me what the signs and symptoms were leading up to my diagnosis. As I stated briefly at the beginning of this post, I am no HL guru. Everyone's cancer story is different, and therefore my symptoms will never be exactly the same as someone else diagnosed with HL. However, with that being said, I do feel the need to share my story in hopes that maybe, just maybe, I can help someone else affected by this disease.

So that's about it. To anyone reading this, I hope you enjoyed my very first blog post! There will most definitely be more to come. But for now, go outside and enjoy the summer weather with your friends and family. Spread love wherever you go, and don't forget to smile.

Until next time,

Becca

References:

1) American Cancer Society: Hodgkin's Lymphoma. July, 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/hodgkin-lymphoma.html

2) National Cancer Institute: Cancer Statistics. April 28, 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics