‘I’m Cured!’: Tennis Pro Carla Suárez Navarro Completes Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment, Has Sights Set on French Open

The 32-year-old took to social media on Thursday to explain that her Hodgkin lymphoma treatment was over and share her gratitude.

“Thanks to all for your warm messages,” Navarro said on Twitter. “Every word of support gave me strength during the past few months.”

She also took the time to thank medical professionals both the ones that helped during her cancer battle and the ones making a difference to others every day.

“I want to take this opportunity to show my infinite gratitude to the health workers who take care of us every day, especially the medical personnel who have given me the belief and hope at all times during my ordeal,” she told WTA Tour. “That human factor is essential to get ahead at times like this, and I feel fortunate to have also had that support.”

The Spanish tennis player has been through a lot of ups and downs in the past year. During the 2019 off-season, she announced that she would retire at the end of 2020. But since the pandemic and her cancer battle threw her plans off course, Navarro decided she was not ready to give up on her athletic pursuits. She returned to training in March and plans to play next at the French Open, which starts May 24.

Understanding Hodgkin Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system. There are over 40 different types of lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma are two sub-categories with the latter being more common. The type of white blood cells linked to the disease determines the distinction. If doctors are unable to detect the Reed-Sternberg cell a giant cell derived from B lymphocytes then it is categorized as Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

In a previous interview, Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, explained that Hodgkin lymphoma is most often seen in younger adults. And although less common, it is generally easier to cure than Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Dr. Elise Chong explains why your type of lymphoma matters

Dr. Chong also said lymphoma symptoms can be difficult to detect. "The symptoms of lymphoma, especially if you have a low-grade lymphoma, often are no symptoms. People say, but I feel completely fine, and that's very normal," she explains. For Navarro, her symptoms began with fatigue and nausea.

Exercise and Cancer

Getting back to world-class athletics less than a year after a cancer diagnosis is an impressive feat. But Dr. Sairah Ahmed, associate professor in the Division of Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, wants you to know that being in good shape during your cancer battle is very beneficial.

What to know about diet and exercise if you have cancer

“I think that, in terms of cancer, oftentimes patients feel that they don’t have any control over any part of their life, and that’s not true,” Ahmed told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. "The more physically fit you are going through your cancer treatment, the less side effects you'll have and the faster you'll get back to your normal quality of life."

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