Zach’s Story

Site created on October 19, 2006

Welcome! This site has been created to keep our friends and family updated on Zach's journey.

 



This journey began for Zach in 2002 when he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lyphoma. After learning of his diagnosis, he tried to beat the disease using chemotherapy, radiation, and other complementary and alternative treatment methods. He finished treatment in April of 2003 and was declared to be in remission from the disease. It was a hard road for him, but things looked positive because in most cases, this type of cancer is very treatable and the cure rate is over 90%!

After going through treatements, the next 2 years of life was normal as can be. He met a girl named Erin who was also a survivor of the same disease. She had the same treatment in 1997 and they would talk about their "common bond" and support each other. Eventually, they fell in love and decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They were engaged in May of 2004.

In February of 2005, Zach found out that his disease was back. He had been having some of the classic Hodgkins symptoms such as itching and coughing and a PET scan confirmed that his disease had in fact come back.

Over the next 10 months, he underwent more chemotherapy and had an autologous stem cell transplant at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on December 14, 2005. The process was grueling and recovery was long and difficult. The hope was that this was finally all behind him and he could move on, finally get married, and enjoy life to its fullest.

Zach and Erin were married on March 11, 2006 and celebrated their honeymoon in Holland and Belgium. Life progressed beautifully over the next few months with Zach and Erin enjoying a cancer-free life and a life that was almost normal!

In October of 2006, we once again learned that Zach's disease was back for the third time. We are not giving up the fight to find a cure for Zach. Since this time, he has participated in clinical trials and numerous chemotherapy regimens all aimed at finding that elusive cure.

 

Newest Update

Journal entry by Erin Rongers

It has been 29 days since we said goodbye to Zach. It seems like both yesterday and ages ago... all at the same time. While we are grateful that his suffering has ended, we miss him so much. Grief is so strange. The kids are amazing and resilient and he would be so proud of them. We are trying to stay busy which seems like the right thing to do, but it's also overwhelming at times. I know we will all be okay eventually, but this is really hard. 

I cannot express enough how much your love, prayers and support have meant to us. You have provided meals, money, hugs, prayers, entertainment, the list goes on.... Without a doubt, the kids and I have the BEST people in our lives. We are so incredibly lucky. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

I probably won't keep this journal going any longer (it's been 17 years...wow!), but please stay in touch. Words are failing me, but we are so grateful for each and every one of you. And, as Zach would say, "live long and prosper!" :)

Love,

Erin, Stella and Andy

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