June is National Cancer Survivor Month, a time to honor the resilience of the more than 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S.—about 5.4% of the population. According to the National Cancer Institute, the most common cancer types among survivors include female breast cancer (22%) and prostate cancer (20%). Another major type is non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that begins in the lymphatic system and affects the body’s ability to fight infection. As of 2024, more than 764,000 people in the U.S. are living with or in remission from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Every survivor’s story is different and powerful. One of those stories belongs to Bailey Glasser lawyer Matthew J. Ford, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2021 following testing after a tonsillectomy. “It all could’ve broken me,” Matt says of his diagnosis. “But I was surrounded by an incredible support system: my wife, my family, my friends, my church, and my colleagues at Bailey Glasser.”
Matt’s story is one of perseverance, purpose, and hope. He is a member of our nationally recognized Mass Torts Practice Group which was nationally ranked by Chambers and Partners in the Nationwide Product Liability: Plaintiffs category for another year. He works out of the firm’s Birmingham, Alabama office, which was newly ranked by Chambers in the Litigation: Mainly Plaintiffs category in that state. Matt focuses his practice on product liability cases involving defective medical devices and defective firearms. Learn more about Matt here.
MATT’S SURVIVOR STORY
A few years ago, I began having trouble swallowing. A visit to the ENT led to the recommendation for a tonsillectomy. The procedure went smoothly, but afterwards, the ENT remarked, “Those were the largest tonsils I’ve ever removed.” A week later, he called back with news that would change everything.
“Remember how I said those were the largest tonsils I’d ever seen? Well, here’s why…”
Pathology had revealed they were gorged with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) — an aggressive, fast-growing form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The cancer was present on both sides of my diaphragm, classifying it as Stage III. I was just 44 years old, I had with no family history of cancer, no known environmental exposures. It made no sense. Blood cancer out of nowhere.
With a wife and 10-month-old baby to think about, things got real, fast.
Thankfully, I had an exceptional hematologic oncologist who acted quickly. I began treatment with R-CHOP, a highly effective chemotherapy regimen developed through decades of research. The prognosis was encouraging — but as any cancer patient knows, chemotherapy is no easy road.
The treatment decimated my immune system. I contracted a bacterial infection that resulted in over a month of hospitalization, at one point nearly requiring a stay in the ICU. R-CHOP is powerful — but unforgiving. I lost over 70 pounds, my hair, and even my ability to have more children.
The weeks in isolation away from my child and the direness of it all could’ve broken me. But I was surrounded by an incredible support system: my wife, my family, my friends, my church, and my colleagues at Bailey Glasser. I also received world-class care from the infectious disease and hematology-oncology teams at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Together, they carried me through.
After five months, the scans came back clear. The words were simple, but life-changing: “In remission.”
Today, three years later, I’m still in remission — and counting down the days to my five-year cancer-free milestone.
For information on how you can support cancer survivors, visit the American Association for Cancer Research, visit this link.
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