I have always enjoyed an active lifestyle, keen on outdoor sports and healthy living. I competed in high school and college athletics and, as an adult, finished three marathons. My family has had a history of longevity with little chronic illness. So it came as a huge surprise to my wife and me when I was diagnosed with stage IV Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in January 2009. Following six months of traditional chemotherapy and achieving remission, we were extremely disappointed when the cancer returned a few months later. In 2010, I became a patient at MD Anderson and a candidate for a stem cell transplant. I had the transplant in July 2010, worked hard to get back into good health and am living proof that people can survive and thrive after cancer. It’s time to tell my story to give others hope and encouragement that they too can succeed. During my journey, a friend shared a phrase that I really like: ‘Every day is a gift; that is why they call it the present.'