Description
Autry Clayton, an Arkansan diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma highlights the symptoms, diagnosis process, and treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Dr. Muthu Kumaran, Autry’s doctor, explains that Hodgkin’s lymphoma has an 85% survival rate and is treatable and curable. Autry becoming cancer-free, emphasizing the emotional impact and the importance of hope during treatment.
Video Player
Transcript
Faith Woodard:
Cancer is never something anyone wants to be diagnosed with, but unfortunately, it’s touched nearly all of our lives in one way or another.
Rolly Hoyt:
And September is National Lymphoma Awareness Month. All new tonight, THV11’s Ashley Godwin sits down with an Arkansan who got a diagnosis with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Autry Clayton:
Having the PET scan, having the CT scan, knowing that, you know, it’s something there.
Ashley Godwin:
It was in this very room where Autrey Clayton was first told he was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer.
Clayton:
It was surreal, you know, having cancer, one, and then stage four cancer at that. It was a pretty tough blow.
Godwin:
Autrey says leading up to the diagnosis, he was having trouble sleeping with night sweats. He would also experience cold spells. Then he noticed a lump on his throat.
Clayton:
She saw the mass on my neck and she was like, it doesn’t look right.
Muthu V. Kumaran, M.D.:
The word “cancer” and the diagnosis of cancer is threatening. And, some people think it’s a death sentence.
Godwin:
Hodgkin’s lymphoma targets the lymph nodes in the body, like the neck or armpits. Typically, people between the ages of 20 to 30 and then the 50 and older population can be diagnosed with this cancer. Autrey, who is 28 years old, was diagnosed with late-stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a diagnosis that his doctor, Muthu Kumaran, says comes with an 85% survival rate.
Dr. Kumaran:
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is very much treatable and curable,
Godwin:
Now, in the same room, he was told he has cancer. Autry sees his doctor again, having made it to the other side, cancer-free.
Clayton:
It’s surreal just finding out, going through it, and then being on this side. I’m happy some days and some days, just thinking back to what the whole process, the whole journey was, you really get mindful of it.
Godwin:
On the last day of treatment, Autry was able to put a seed token in UAMS’s Seed of Hope sculpture as a celebration for the future and hope for others going through a similar journey.
Clayton:
Seeing myself in here every day, knowing what I’ve been through and the progress that I’ve made thus far, it just helps me keep going.
Godwin:
In Little Rock, Ashley Godwin, THV11 News.
Hoyt:
Ashley, thank you. Some other common symptoms of Hodgkin’s lymphoma are swelling of the lymph nodes, fever and unexplained weight loss.
