Sabrina, Hodgkin Lymphoma

Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn – one that brings everything into sharp focus.

For me, I noticed a lump on the left side of my neck which turned out to be an enlarged lymph node. At 26 years old, it didn’t seem serious at first. A quick visit to my doctor led to antibiotics for a suspected ear infection, and shockingly the lump disappeared until months later when it came back even bigger.

More tests followed – a consultation with an ENT, a fine-needle aspiration biopsy, excisional biopsy (my first REAL surgery where they removed a huge lymph node in my neck), a PET scan, and then the words: Hodgkin lymphoma.

Everything happened so fast. Within just 2 weeks, I had surgery, there were scans, a port placement surgery, but I finally had a diagnosis. It felt like the ground shifted overnight.

In between appointments and procedures, time was spent reading, researching, and trying to wrap my brain around terms that had never mattered before. I am a huge fitness advocate – it’s my whole life. I’m currently finishing up nutrition and wellness coaching courses, and I was so lost asking myself, “How could my body betray me, when all I do is take care of it?”.

Not long after, I had my first meeting with my oncologist to discuss chemotherapy treatment options, a moment that made everything feel REAL. Chemotherapy was the next step, and with it came a LONG list of side effects that I was not prepared to undergo.

The most jarring? Hair loss. That hit harder than expected…you know that it’s coming, but nothing prepares you until you experience it yourself. I lost my hair after my second cycle of ABVD chemotherapy, and eventually decided to shave it off because it was becoming too much hair loss with a single brush of my hair. It wasn’t just about appearance; it felt like losing a part of my identity.

After shaving my head, something shifted. What started as grief turned into a sense of freedom I never expected. Without the weight of my hair, I felt lighter emotionally and spiritually, more confident in who I am to the core. Strong. Resilient. Beautiful. And you will be all of those things too. Beauty has nothing to do with appearance and everything to do with presence.

What this journey continues to teach is that there are incredibly beautiful, strong days that remind me of my capacity to rise above my diagnosis.

This story is still being written. I just finished my third round of chemo, with one more to go, and then my PET scan. After that, I still have a couple of rounds to go.

Some days are heavy, filled with fatigue, body aches, uncertainty, and quiet grief, but that’s okay. What this journey continues to teach is that there are also incredibly beautiful, strong days that remind me of my capacity to rise above my diagnosis.

I still go to the gym when I am able, walk my dog every day, dive into a great book, and I’m still working. There’s light, even in the hardest places. If you’re walking through something hard right now, know this: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are stronger than you think. And we WILL get through this – one day, one breath, one brave moment at a time.

Remind yourself that cancer can change your body right now, but it’s not going to take your beautiful, resilient soul.