A New Lease on Life
- High school football player Dom Diaz injured his ankle at his team’s opening game, but he quickly shook it off. As a Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, he has been through much worse, and through cancer, sometimes you learn not to sweat the small stuff.
- Dom’s dad spotted the lump on his neck four years ago, and once he received his diagnosis and started treatment, he had to miss months and months of school.
- Hodgkin lymphoma is considered rare, but it is the most common cancer diagnosed in teens aged 15 to 19. Chemotherapy and radiation are the most common treatments used for Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the American Cancer Society.
Initially, the team captain slammed his wrist to the ground in frustration, feeling defeated, and his teammates had to help hoist him off the field.
Read MoreDom’s Cancer Battle
Four years prior, when Dom was in eighth grade, his dad noticed a lump on his neck. Fortunately, they went to the hospital right away, though it wasn’t looking good. Eventually, they found that it was Hodgkin lymphoma.
"Obviously it was heartbreaking," Dom said. "At first, I didn't understand it, because I was so young. 'I'm just a little sick; it's like a flu or a cold. I'll be fine.'"
He started chemotherapy that December and missed five months of school. He was able to keep up with his homework, but just too sick to go to class.
"I was embarrassed," he shared. "I had no hair, no nothing."
Dom finally made it back to school for his first year of high school, and quickly took to football, highly determined to be active again.
"He's a student of the game. He asks a lot of questions,” Millis coach Bob Martellio said. "But he's the type of player that at any given moment, we can change up his assignment and he has a quick understanding of what we're asking him.”
Dom, compared to a “Swiss Army Knife” due to his versatility while playing the game, made captain the very next year.
"I don't think you see it too often," coach Bob said, "but I think that says a lot about Dom's character; I think it says a lot about where Dom stands within the team, the program, the school system. I think a lot of people look up to Dom he’s a tough kid.
Though he was bummed he got injured during the game, Dom quickly recovered and managed to sport a smile as he left the field. He had to keep a positive attitude battling cancer as a teen, what’s one bad game in the grand scheme of things.
"It may be difficult at first," he responded, "but the only thing you can do is stay positive. You've got your friends and family with you every day."
What is Hodgkin Lymphoma?
Lymphomas are cancers that begin in a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. The two main types of lymphomas are Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin. Hodgkin lymphomas typically begin in a part of the lymph system called B cells, according to the American Cancer Society, which make proteins called antibodies that help protect the body from germs.
What is a Blood CancerHow is it Different?
The disease is rare, but it is the most common cancer diagnosed in teens aged 15 to 19. Chemotherapy and radiation are the most common treatments used for Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the American Cancer Society. Depending on the severity of the disease, the two treatments methods may be used separately or together.
Exercise and Recovery
Despite a recent injury, Dom's dedication to staying active and playing football likely helped him with his recovery, emotionally and physically.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Sagar Lonial, Chief Medical Officer at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, said that while there's no magic diet or workout routine to follow as you go through the cancer journey, maintaining a healthy lifestyle overall can go a long way when it comes to recovery.
Related: Staying Active After a Cancer Diagnosis
"What I tell patients is, the stronger and fitter you are going into treatment, the stronger and fitter you're going to come out on the back end," Dr. Lonial said. "Exercise is important. I'm not saying run a marathon, but certainly walk and be as active as you can. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. A multivitamin is probably not unreasonable. But beyond that, I don't know that there's any data that says that some strange fad diet has better outcomes."
Contributing by SurvivorNet staff.
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