Jeff Lee Manthos

"Cancer" is a scary word. Almost everyone is affected by it. From family members to acquaintances to oneself, cancer in its many forms can manifest in many ways. It can strike anyone at any age, from those with a family history of cancer to someone seemingly in perfect health with no relatives with any history of the disease. Young and old, male and female, anyone can awake to the reality that cancer has invaded one's body. And that "reality" can take on an almost surreal quality. I turned to the surreal as a mechanism to tell my cancer story, using the metaphor of a trip to a distant and hostile planet to set the tone. See my information on: Planet Chemo.

I was diagnosed with two kinds of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in the summer of 2002. There was no lymphoma in my family and no expectation that it would arrive, but it did. I suppose we never expect cancer. My diagnosis included both diffuse large B cell and follicular lymphoma. Each behaves differently and each has grades to further define its nature. Both can kill. In combination, along with presence in my bone marrow, the cancers required aggressive chemotherapy treatments to curtail its spreading. I underwent chemotherapy in 2002 and 2003, and enjoyed several years of relative health until a relapse of the follicular NHL manifested in 2006. I endured chemotherapy a second time. Now, in 2008, I am experiencing yet another relapse, but this time it seems to be limited to a small area and should be very treatable. And yet I realize NHL will most likely not leave me alone. The future contains many possibilities, one of which is an eventual stem cell transplant. I work on strength and endurance almost every day to be able to continue this fight against the disease.

So lymphoma—cancer—is now integrated into my world and has become a lifestyle. Having lymphoma affects me every day in some way, from daily decision making to shaping future plans. But NHL does not rule my life, it is up to me as to how I live each day.

Growing up in the center of the baby-boom demographic, in many ways I am representative of the 75.8 million Americans of that generation, many of whom have or will be facing major health issues. Over 400,000 Americans are living with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Approximately 60,000 will be diagnosed with NHL this year, and roughly 20,000 will die from it annually. The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has risen by 84 percent from 1975 to 2004, and it is the 5th most common cancer in this country. Today there are deeper understandings of the behavior of lymphoma and new treatments are emerging. Currently, targeted therapies like Rituxan are the leading edge against certain types of NHL. There is hope for lymphoma survivors to live full and happy lives.

Here are some resources for cancer survivors and their caretakers:

1.) The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 310
White Plains, NY 10605
(800) 955-4572
www.leukemia-lymphoma.org
They have regional chapters around the country, call them to find the one nearest you.

2.) Cancercare
www.cancercare.org / 1-800-813-HOPE (4673)

3.) American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org / 1-800-ACS-2345

4.) Curetoday
www.curetoday.com/
A cancer awareness, education and resource website.