Gov. Hogan Shares Photo, Appreciation On Final Day Of Chemo
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- About a year and three months after he announced his stage III non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis, Governor Larry Hogan underwent his last chemotherapy session today.
"After nearly a year and a half battle, I can't tell you how it feels to be getting my very last chemo treatment today," he wrote on his Facebook page. "I could never have made it to this point without the amazing support of my family, friends and staff, along with an incredible team of doctors and nurses. I am humbled by the thousands of prayers and well wishes that I received from all around the world. And I am deeply grateful to be 100% cancer free and in complete remission. My heart, my thoughts, and my prayers go out to all the other victims of cancer and their families. I plan to make the most of every single day I am given, and I won't stop fighting until a cure is discovered for this terrible disease."
After the treatment, he cut the "Hogan Strong" bracelets worn by friends, family and staff and threw the pieces up in the air.
Hogan was sworn in to office just five months prior to announcing at the State House in June 2015 that he had an aggressive cancer of the lymph nodes.
He told the press at that news conference that he had noticed a lump in his neck while shaving before a planned trade trip to Asia.
"I didn't really have any symptoms," he said. "I saw one thing pop out. I had a little bit of pain in my back, which I thought was like a pulled muscle."
He got it checked out when he returned from his trip.
"Then they found 12 more of these things in my neck and chest and said they wanted to do a full MRI. They found 20 or 30 more in my core area, in my groin area. It was one test after another after another. It was like peeling an onion.
It turned out that his back pain was one of the tumors pressing up against a nerve.
Hogan began an intense chemo regiment, and announced in November that he was 100 percent cancer free.
The governor has continued to undergo "maintenance" chemotherapy treatments ever after announcing that he was cancer-free.
Governor Hogan says he plans to make the most of every single day, and he won't stop fighting until a cure for cancer is discovered.
In September, he signed an executive order that renews a state council that puts out a road map for fighting cancer.
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