Adults

In December 2007, my life completely changed. I had a biopsy done just four days before Christmas, and my oncologist called me on Christmas Day to tell me that I needed to come in and see him after the holidays to discuss my pathology report. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. I endured five surgeries in just four weeks and spent my 36th birthday in the hospital.

I fell in love with distance running in 2010 while training for my first marathon as a member of Team In Training, raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since then, I have completed five full marathons and one ultra-marathon (49K). I started getting into mountain running in 2016, and aspire to run some mountain races here in Alaska, including Mount Marathon in Seward!

In July 1993, I was blessed with my son, Andre Christopher Jordan. He's my heart, pride and joy. Throughout his young life, Andre has humbled me with his love, kindness, strength, loyalty, and faith. Two years ago, he and his fiancé, Ana were blessed with their son. He was overjoyed with being a new father and had marriage plans in the works.

I had acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in 2013. I went in to have surgery to remove all four of my wisdom teeth and never stopped bleeding after surgery. The doctor called those miracle teeth instead of wisdom teeth because that is how we found out I had leukemia and they saved my life.

Here's a truly inspiring story about a lymphoma patient and his treating physician who discovered in the midst of treatments last year that they shared a bond as former national champion ballroom dancers – and how the special connection affected his care.