Mike A.

I learned about research when I was going for my chemo sessions through Dr. Anderson. I finally decided to participate in the research study because I thought what they learned through the study could help other people in the future trying to fight this disease.

My experience with the study was that I had a wide range of feelings, mostly good. I was working with wonderful people that helped me through the study starting with Teresa and then Stephanie; I truly enjoyed their company and became friends with them.

Even the people in the lab that I got to know were wonderful. I was known as a tough draw and the ladies would stick me several times and felt so badly, but I knew they were trying their best and it did not bother me at all. Kayla was the one person who figured me out. She had a beautiful baby and took leave for a while and when she came back, she did my last draw of the study. It was cool to see her baby pictures and chat, and of course she was perfect on the last draw.

One of the downsides was that toward the end of the study, one of the side effects hit me and I had to stop taking the pill. I hope what I went through will help somebody down the road.

If somebody asked me what research is, I would tell them that it is a study of possible new drugs and/or treatments that could help in the fight to cure cancer now and in the future.

Cancer is not fun but if people can stay active as much as possible, you can fight back. I will continue to play disc golf competitively, chase carp with my bow, and keep my full time job as a vineyard manager in Mendocino county. With all of these activities as well as the love of my wife and two kids, this keeps me going.

Again I would like to thank Dr. Anderson and all of the research staff for my treatments in Santa Rosa and all you have done for me.

Sincerely, Mike

Mike participated in a treatment trial for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from 2015-2016.