#MLBVideos: Liam Hendriks stands up for all families touched by cancer.

Liam Hendriks stands up for all families touched by cancer.

for most of us the fight against cancer is something we know all too well whether it’s our own battle against this Relentless disease or someone close to our hearts it seems everyone has a story of how cancer has affected their lives over the years Master Card and standup to cancer have partnered with Major League Baseball raising over $70 million to support cancer research and awareness we all have someone in mind when we think of cancer so this year Master cart is encouraging everyone to share their stories and who they stand up for there are countless such stories in the Major League Baseball community and one of them belongs to Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendrick in 2022 at 33 years old he was diagnosed with stage 4 non- hodkin lymphoma I have the privilege now to be joined by Liam and to hear about his courageous fight against cancer his remarkable recovery and who he stands up for Liam thank you so much for joining us here day you’re currently coming back from Tommy John surgery but it was about a year ago that you made another come back and a really inspirational one at that in your battle against cancer just take us back to the weeks and even days leading up to your diagnosis first symptoms were I had some lumps on my neck back here couple into here and then some on the side of my neck didn’t think any of it spoke to the doctors got some blood work done nothing came up from that then we were going on vacation and I reached out to our doctor the lumps are still there and at that point he’s like let’s get you some testing done let’s go see you with an ENT and just get it all checked out and then eventually you heard the words you have cancer what was the first thing that went through your mind definitely stage two because it was dots all over here wow and then pits scan went in they’re like yeah it’s stage four but luckily I had my oncologist was fantastic she had not only being a Collegiate athlete but she had gone through cancer herself I’ve been through this I know what you’re going through was uh was actually really really kind of comic hopefully it’s good hopefully it’s quick by your side at every turn well before your diagnosis you guys are probably baseball’s favorite couple you and your wife christe just talk about the importance of her being with you throughout the course of this journey the big thing she did for me that I will always tell every spouse of anyone going through it she never let me see her cry she never let me see how much it was hurting her there was you know a lot of emotion that I was feeling every second but I didn’t want him to feel that too so I just realized if I’m going to have emotions about this I’m going to do these when I’m in the shower I’m going to go in my closet pretend I’m doing laundry have a cry for myself what role did she take on at home during your recovery and your treatment I mean she was always making sure I was in the right space and then also at the right times pushing me to get to the house take the dog for a walk get outside do something I’d have treatment on Monday and Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday I’d be on the couch and then Friday I’d be back at the field you set a really ambitious goal of returning to the mound in May of 2023 why was that so important treatment PL is are normally 6 months for what I had I spoke to my oncologist and was like look 6 months is great but like is there any way to shorten it if you respond well to treatment and you’re doing well we can knock it down to four so 3 months in six rounds of chemo and three rounds of immunotherapy and we got the scans and I went from looking like a Dalmatian in my scan to looking all clean when you found out you were cancer free where were you how did you find out you go into like an Open MRI system almost Y and then I get a text from my in college and she goes scans look great see you in a little bit and that was probably the most emotional I got out of the whole situation was reading that it’s called the victory bell y all [Laughter] no no like I just not playing catch for a few days I just want to kind of get everything back into normal and then you go on you do it you achieve your goal you take the field in May what was that moment like for you uh that was yeah that was [Applause] special they had team Liam signs right behind the bullpen they was people in the stands signs for me so I remember when they started flickering the lights instead of being overcome with this you know these tears of joy I was like overcome where all of this emotion was coming out of me and this pure like I’m so proud moment after battling stage 4 cancer and listen to this place stand on the mound and just slowly go around and just look around the stadium I almost appreciated the struggle I believe this moment probably got Liam through some very dark times the baseball Community truly is a family and perhaps there’s no better example in the fight against cancer with Major League Baseball’s partnership with MasterCard and the standup to cancer placard moment how special is it when you look around and realize you’re not alone at this journey what’s crazy is now looking back on it in the fact that in 2019 in my first All-Star game I came into the game during that moment so I ran onto the field and stopped and held up a sign and that was my first ever experience in an allstar game and with the stand up cancer it’s crazy how many people hold up signs and it’s me my partner my wife my son my father it’s incredible how many families have been affected by this disease you and Chrissy were able to Pivot and turn this into a positive thing and close out cancer tell us a little bit more about that initiative yes so close out cancer they created these shirts and and they started selling I think they raised about $100,000 and so the clothes I cancer shirts they I mean they were everywhere how’s everything going and then Chris and I decided to host an event you come in you get swabbed you get put into the uh the bone Maradona base so there’s a chance where now if you come and get swabbed you have a chance to save someone else’s life 8 and 1 half hours lying down in a in a bed what advice would you have for anyone who’s recently been diagnosed don’t feel like you’re alone please talk to some whether it be a therapist whether it be a friend whether it be someone on the street whoever you can talk to just talk to somebody because trust me the talking makes things easier and don’t fret about the treatment it’s not going to be great but if you sit there and wallow away it’s only going to get worse stay positive still live your life do things that you can do things that you want to do I stand up for Dr Allison and nurse [Music] Ashley thank you for sharing your story Liam it’s an inspiration to everyone that has been affected by cancer to share your story scan the QR code to join MasterCard and tell the world who you stand up for in the fight against cancer I stand up for my loved ones standing up for the people we love priceless [Music]

Everybody knows someone impacted by cancer. After beating cancer, Liam Hendriks stands up for everyone facing the fight.

Go to @MasterCard now to share who you stand up for.

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