This evening, Liam Hendriks announced on his Instagram account that he will be undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma starting on Monday.
The full text from Hendriks' post:
"As a professional athlete, I have always been mindful to try to use my position in the public eye to the most positive ends possible by shining a light on causes or issues that touch close to home for myself, my wife and my family. It is in that spirit that I want to share some personal health news I have learned in the past few days, and do so on my own terms.
Recently, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Hearing the word "cancer" came as a shock to my wife and I, as it does to millions of families each year. However, I am resolved to embrace the right and overcome this new challenge with the same determination I have used when facing other obstacles in my life.
My treatment begins tomorrow, and I am confident that I will make a full recovery and be back on the mound as soon as possible. I know with the support of my wife, my family, my teammates and the Chicago White Sox organization, along with the treatment and care from my doctors, I will get through this."
The White Sox followed the announcement with a statement from Rick Hahn:
“Our thoughts and reactions at this time are for Liam the person, not Liam the baseball player. I know the entire Chicago White Sox organization, our staff, his teammates, and certainly White Sox fans, will rally in support of Liam and Kristi during the coming months. Knowing everyone involved, especially Liam, we are optimistic he will pitch again for the White Sox as soon as viable. In the meantime, we all will do everything in our power to support our teammate and his family as they face this challenge, while also respecting their privacy.
“We do not expect to have any updates on Liam’s playing status prior to Opening Day at the very earliest.”
I'll have a post at some point about the potential ramifications of his absence, but this news requires a little time to absorb before spinning it forward. For the time being, here's wishing the best of luck to Liam Hendriks and his family for a full recovery.
