David Marshall has always had intense pride when talking about his two sons, D.J. and Robert. As their father, David has spent a lot of time not only teaching them right from wrong, but also teaching them work ethic, determination and to never give up. It’s this mentality that will help the entire Marshall family tackle the challenge that was put in front of them on Thursday morning.
“We found out at around 11:00 today that D.J. has Hodgkin’s Disease, or Lymphoma,” said David Marshall about D.J. being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on Thursday. “We got word on Tuesday that they were going to do surgery, so we went ahead and drove up on Wednesday,” added Marshall about learning that D.J. would have a biopsy done.
According to David Marshall, D.J. first had the lump looked at about four months ago by University of Kansas doctors and again for a second opinion with a doctor closer to home in Dallas. After both visits it appeared that the Marshall’s had nothing to worry about.
“He had it looked at this summer,” David Marshall said about D.J. getting the lump looked at. “He had a KU doctor look at it and they said it was just a swollen gland. He also had a second opinion with a doctor in Dallas, and they said it was a swollen gland too. In fact, this fall it looked like it was getting smaller, but then, over time, it started getting bigger so he got it looked at again,” added Marshall.
Although the diagnosis isn’t what they’d hoped for, it does answer some questions about what D.J. has been experiencing over the past few months.
“He had complained about the lumps before, but this really explains some things,” said David Marshall. “It explains the fatigue he’s been having, and that he can’t gain any weight, just been real lethargic, like he wasn’t trying, but he was actually battling this and just didn’t know it,” added David Marshall about D.J.
When discovered and treated during the early stages, patients with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma generally have a good prognosis, according to David Marshall, that’s something the doctors did talk to them about.
“They said this type of cancer does happen to young and healthy people, can’t prevent it, it just happens,” Marshall said about the doctor’s comments today. “They said if he was going to get cancer, this is one of the best kinds to have because of the success rate,” added Marshall about Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Now D.J. will head back to Dallas with his family later this weekend to begin the process of beating the disease, something that David is eager to do.
“He’s doing good. We were a little shocked earlier, but now it’s just time to knock this thing out,” said David Marshall of D.J. “I’ll be back up there on Sunday to bring him home. He’ll undergo more test to see how far, or how much there is, to see if it has spread, or if it’s just in the one spot. After that, we’ll know when he will have chemotherapy, just want him at home for that. I don’t want him up there by himself for that. He’ll be able to finish the semester online and then we will get him back up there (KU) after this stuff is taken care of,” added David Marshall.
Before heading back home to Dallas this weekend, D.J. will be with his teammates on Saturday when the Jayhawks take on Kansas State in Manhattan.
“He will travel with the team to Manhattan and will be on the sideline with the team to be with and embrace his brothers on the team,” said Marshall.
