Rob Knudson was diagnosed with
non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1999
The image of a lighthouse is emblazoned in my mind on the day (in 1999) my husband Rob found out he had lymphoma. I suppose the doctor had placed that picture on the wall as a beacon of hope, but all I could see were the waves crashing around the rocks below – it did not inspire confidence – only terror. Rob was diagnosed as having stage IV non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoma, CD30 ALK-positive. This was after many visits to our GP for what seemed like the flu. Before this, Rob appeared to be healthy. He was a runner, enjoyed skiing and many other physical activities. Rob had a fast-paced, demanding job in a graphics and photo department at a local paper. He was 43 years old.
We asked to be referred to the supportive and informative team at the Cancer Agency who helped us successfully fight what we thought was Rob’s one and only brush with death. The victory lasted four years. Rob relapsed
in 2002.
The first time you hear a loved one has cancer you think it is the worst day of your life. The second time it is infinitely more terrifying because you know what you are up against and you barely had time to recover from the last battle...
