Ryan’s Story

Site created on September 12, 2018

Thanks for keeping up with Ryan's story! We are using this to keep family and friends updated in one place. 

Ryan had not been feeling well for about a couple weeks, and was admitted to the hospital on Saturday, 9/8/2018 after four days of urgent care, emergency room, and dental office visits. He was later moved to the ICU after his blood counts continued to worsen, and on 9/12 he was diagnosed with a non Hodgkins lymphoma, specifically DLBCL. He began treatment on 9/13/2018 and as of 1/23/2019 went into remission for the first time.

Cancer returned in July 2020 and Ryan had an auto (self) stem cell transplant in October 2020, which went well despite all the pandemic precautions in place at the time!  Unfortunately, lymphoma showed up once again in July 2021 and he then had treatment for recurrent lymphoma in his brain and CNS. 

Ryan had CAR-T cell therapy in October 2021 which went well, but in January 2022 scans seem to show a recurrence of lymphoma in his brain and the team suggested we search for clinical trials. By God's grace the LLS helped us find a clinical trial that opened the week we started looking, at the NIH in Bethesda MD. Ryan and Jane traveled to the DC area every 3 weeks for a few months for the trial, which seemed to bring the lymphoma under control although did not obliterate it. 


We returned to M Health Fairview where they had Ryan undergo whole brain radiation which ultimately brought him into remission. In order to prolong remission Ryan went through an allogenic (donor) stem cell transplant in January 2023. Despite GVHD and a virus taking advantage of his weakened immune system resulting in 2 hospitalizations, Ryan is still fighting. 

 Thank you all for following Ryan's site, your prayers and words of encouragement.

Newest Update

Got it All! (March 27, 2024)

Journal entry by Ryan Menning —

The most exciting thing about the dermatology appointment yesterday was the drive home in all the snow! The rain had just started turning to sleet when I arrived at the clinic, but I had snow to brush off the car when it was time to go home!
Since they found some pre-melanoma in the biopsy earlier this month, they scheduled me for a MOHS procedure, where they take off a layer of skin, examine it, then take off another layer if they find any more (pre)melanoma, and repeat. They didn't find anything after taking off the first layer of skin yesterday! So now I have a wound smaller than a dime on my chest, and I have no pain. I have to hold off lifting weights until tomorrow, though!
In April, I'll have a follow up appointment with my eye doctor. Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD) is still causing me to have dry eyes and light sensitivity. In May I'll see the foot doctor again for chemo-caused ingrown toenails and in June I'll have an 18-months-after-treatment brain MRI.
Thanks again for all your support and prayers!
Read More of the journal titled "Got it All! (March 27, 2024)"
  • The kids and I enjoying our Shamrock Shakes on St. Patrick's Day
    The kids and I enjoying our Shamrock Shakes on St. Patrick's Day
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