Lymphoma

Summer 2019 I was feeling great and cancer was the last thing on my mind. I had just run a half marathon and was planning to do a few more destination races. Shortly after the half marathon, I started getting awful knee pain. It was excruciating but I never thought much of it, assuming it was just an injury.

I am 39 years old. At the age of 34 after having been very sick and misdiagnosed for over a year I was diagnosed at the Cleveland Clinic in May 2016 with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

I was 24 and otherwise healthy, hiking the Grand Canyon (literally) with friends, when my neck started to hurt and my arm started to swell. By the end of my vacation two days later, I was in so much pain that I could barely turn my head or lift my arm.

In the beginning, when I was processing my cancer diagnosis, I kept asking myself, “why me?”. That after all these years I worked hard to better my health, eating the right foods and working out. But in the world of cancer it didn’t matter, this disease couldn’t have recognize all I’ve done, and I was chosen. I am now part of their world, and how I travel through my journey will depend on me.

Erica was diagnosed with potentially fatal Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma on March 28, 2013. Her journey to survive her battle with cancer was very trying but after overcoming her obstacles, Erica is very passionate about inspiring people to have the desire to survive any challenges that they may face in their lives.

In 2017 I was first diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, I had a 6 months treatment and got into remission, after 2 years the doctors told me that I had a relapse and now Im half way in my treatment at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.