09/15/2026
"'Great news, it’s lymphoma!'
I’ll never forget that call from my oncologist. That was the day my world changed in a good way... well, not right away.
One moment I was living a normal life; the next my life was filled with treatment plans, survival rates, chemo side effects, and I wondered how everything changed so fast.
Moments after the call from the doctor, something inside me clicked, and I went into fight mode. I knew with a 100% certainty I was going to beat this! I thought to myself, I’m going to have to push my body to the limit, like when I was running 400 meters on the college track team. Coming off that final turn of the race, my body was totally spent. I’d have to call on the will and determination to find the second wind. A second wind is when you feel you’ve reached your limit. Then the pain and misery transform into a euphoric meditative state; you’re floating. The training instincts kick in to find the next gear, to propel yourself to the win. I can do that; I have trained to do that. I will use it again, but this time to survive.
A few months into my treatment, I was really sick. I weighed 140 pounds; I lost my hair. I started to realize that my seven-year-old daughter was struggling to cope with my illness. She was getting distant and very sad.
One day I asked her, 'Zoe, what’s wrong?'
'Daddy, I don’t want you to die!' she said.
Fighting back a tear, I emphatically said, 'I am not going to die.'
From that day forward, I made it a point to get out of bed every day at 3:00 p.m., no matter how bad I felt, to be standing by the front door to greet Zoe coming home from school. I would muster up all of the strength, like it was the last 50 meters of the race, to chat with her about her day, to tell jokes, to laugh and goof around, before I would excuse myself to crawl upstairs and collapse back in bed without her ever knowing that she was my second wind. To this day, those few moments we spent together are some of the most special moments of my life.
The good news, as you can probably tell, is that I kicked my cancer into remission.
Now my relationship with my wife and kids is stronger than ever. I make it a point to live in the moment. I truly feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life.
Before I was diagnosed, I didn’t even know what Blood Cancer United was. Now I know that they have been on the cutting edge of cancer breakthroughs for 77 years.
I've always said that Blood Cancer United is more than an organization, it's a family. The experiences I've had through its programs have continually reinforced that belief.
Blood Cancer United Light The Night brings communities together to shine hope into the darkness of a cancer diagnosis. As a survivor, standing in the 'Survivors Circle' and raising a white lantern alongside others who have walked a similar journey is an unforgettable reminder that no one fights alone.
During my own cancer treatment, I made a promise to myself that if I beat the disease, I would complete a century bike ride around Lake Tahoe through Blood Cancer United Team In Training. A few years later, fully recovered, I fulfilled that promise. The experience challenged me physically, connected me with an incredible community, and allowed me to give back to a cause that had given so much to me.
I have also seen the impact of Student Visionaries of the Year firsthand through both of my children. The program empowers high school students to develop leadership, teamwork, and fundraising skills while making a meaningful difference for families affected by blood cancer. They each came away with valuable life skills, greater confidence, and a deeper understanding of how one person can create lasting change.
Whether you're looking for a way to honor a loved one, support groundbreaking research, develop as a leader, or simply make a difference, Blood Cancer United offers opportunities that transform both the lives of patients and the lives of those who choose to get involved.
I will make it my purpose in life to ensure that the patients of today can become the survivors of tomorrow. I’m sure there are more fighters who could use a second wind.”
This World Lymphoma Day and Blood Cancer Awareness Month, we're working toward more.
Andrew's story reminds us that blood cancer impacts entire families.
Together, Andrew and Zoe show what "more" looks like: more courage, more advocacy, more support, and more time with the people who matter most. For more hope. More milestones. More moments. More anniversaries. More laughter. More afternoons waiting at the front door. More jokes shared after school. More time with the people who become our second wind. Blood cancer resources are here: https://bcutd.org/4zVTvnh
