I am a 54-year-old mother of two, the owner of a small business, Park Hill Yoga and have been married for 22 years. Being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2015 came as the biggest surprise of my life.
I have lived what I always considered a very healthy and active lifestyle. I studied ballet and modern dance throughout my youth and became a serious runner in my mid-20s. I even ran the New York City Marathon in 1991 for The Leukemia Lymphoma Society's Team in Training, and have practiced Iyengar yoga since the late 1980's. Since this time, yoga has been a central focus of my life.
I have always taken great interest in health and I even taught nutrition classes. I ate what I had long thought was the "anti-cancer diet." But I have learned that cancer does not discriminate, and that its causes are complex and largely unknown.
Since my diagnosis, I have read many books about cancer, most significantly, "The Emperor of All Maladies," by oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee. I am currently on the waiting list at our public library for his new book, "The Gene."
At the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute, in Denver, CO, I am undergoing ABVD chemotherapy. I have a very treatable cancer and have been told that my response is good. Nonetheless, I have to work every single day to let go of fear and remain positive. I write a blog, which has been a tremendous coping mechanism for my mind. Remaining optimistic is critical. One of the more challenging aspects of dealing with cancer is waiting for the results of PET scans. I try not to think about the results, and work to live each day fully without anticipating the future.
I look forward to working as a volunteer for LLS in Colorado, and want to offer yoga classes for cancer survivors at my yoga studio as soon as I am able to resume teaching.
I feel fortunate to have received excellent medical care and tremendous support from friends.
Deborah
Lymphoma Survivor
