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“Being 26 and hearing you have cancer is weird, because one moment you are on top of the world then the next, you’re like, maybe I’m not.” Cody Sharpf, now 33, says.
In 2016, Cody was nearing the end of his summer softball league when he started having issues with his knee. After softball was over, he decided to head to urgent care to have it examined. While at MercyOne urgent care, the provider noticed a lump the size of a golf ball near Cody’s collarbone. Since the lump never caused Cody any pain, he never bothered to have it looked at, until now.
“I was sent upstairs to the MercyOne Dubuque Cancer Center and saw a specialist who, after briefly looking at the lump, said that there’s a good chance it’s cancerous,” Cody says. “Once a sample was pulled, they confirmed it was cancer.”
That same day, the ENT provider performed a biopsy of Cody’s lump.
“It all happened so fast. And you don’t say ‘no’ when they ask to cut you open. You’re just like ‘I’m in your hands, so take care of it.’ And they did a great job. They really took care of me that day.”
Two days later it was confirmed, Cody had non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s immune system. NHL occurs when white blood cells called lymphocytes grow abnormally and form tumors. These tumors can develop in various parts of the body, such as lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen and other organs.
Symptoms may include swollen lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss and fatigue. Those most at risk of having NHL are older adults, those with weakened immune systems and individuals with a family history of NHL.
“When you hear the word cancer, you just assume you’re dying. So, I waited to tell my mom until I knew everything because she tends to get really worked up. But she actually took the news better than I did,” Cody said.
Cody’s diagnosis wasn’t the only one his family received that year. Six months after Cody was diagnosed with NHL, his brother received a testicular cancer diagnosis.
“When you experience life-changing news, you just want to be with the people you care about and spend time with family,” Cody reflected.
Right before Thanksgiving, Cody began his chemotherapy and by December of the same year, he was in full remission.
“Once I was in remission, I asked my doctor, Dr. Christian Schultheis ‘so I am I done?’ And he goes ‘no, you still have to do the full six months of chemotherapy.’ So that’s what I did.”
Receiving care at the MercyOne Dubuque Cancer Center made a big difference for Cody. He worked in Dubuque at the time, which meant at the start of his chemotherapy he was still able to go back to work after his treatments. Receiving local care also made it easier for Cody to reach out if he needed anything between appointments and in general made for a more comforting experience.
Even after seven years, seeing the nurses and doctors who cared for him is like reconnecting with old friends.
“During my chemo at MercyOne, the nurses were amazing,” Cody said. “They knew me by name, took care of me and just did their best to make me feel comfortable and good. Even after my six months were over, when I would come back for weekly checkups (then yearly checkups), the nurses still remembered my name. Although you start out as strangers, you end up like family.”
Find helpful information and cancer resources at Cancer Care, Health Answers - MercyOne.
