Life After Cancer Mini Course

5 Lessons

About this course

Welcome to the free mini-course. As a two-time lymphoma survivor, I feel it’s important to share some of the struggles that I have faced physically and, most importantly, mentally! And conversation with other survivors helped spur sharing this with you. This is a quick mini-course as I know and appreciate how valuable your time is. Enjoy!

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Course Structure

Being ok as a Survivor

In this video I talk about being OK as a survivor

Being the energy your want to attract

In this video I talk about being the energy you want to attract

Learning to open your mind and get out of your comfort zone

In this video, you will learn the importance of opening your mind and why its important to get out of your comfort zone.

Engage with everyone around you

In this video, I talk about engaging with everyone around you.

Letting the little things roll off your back

In this video, you will learn how to let small issues not affect you.

Teacher

Todd W Franzen

I am a two-time Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor with 17 years of documented cancer survivorship experience that spans multiple treatment eras. My journey began in November 2009 with a Stage 4B diagnosis at age 33, and continued through recurrence and treatment in 2019-2021. This rare longitudinal perspective—living through two complete treatment cycles a decade apart—gives me comparative insight into cancer care evolution that no single medical professional can replicate. MY TREATMENT EXPERIENCE First Treatment Cycle (2009-2010) • 12 infusions of ABVD Chemotherapy over 6 months • 2 infusions of ICE Chemotherapy (4-day infusions) • 1 infusion of BEAM Chemotherapy • 1 Autologous Stem-Cell Transplant • 8 PET Scans • 6 CT Scans Second Treatment Cycle (2019-2021) • 2 infusions of Brentuximab and Bendamustine (Severe allergic reaction to Brentuximab — hives) • 25 rounds of Radiation to Mediastinum (46RAD combined) • 4 infusions of Keytruda Immunotherapy • 2 infusions of IGEV Chemotherapy (5-day infusions) • 1 Total Body Radiation (2RAD) • 1 Sibling Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplant • 6 PET Scans • 6 CT Scans COMPARATIVE EXPERTISE Surviving two stem-cell transplants—one autologous, one sibling allogeneic—across different decades of cancer treatment has given me firsthand experience with nearly every major modality in lymphoma care: combination chemotherapy, salvage chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation protocols, and both types of stem-cell transplantation. I've experienced treatment side effects from the "standard" ABVD era through the modern immunotherapy period. This comparative expertise matters for survivors. Treatment protocols in 2009 looked very different from 2019, and the long-term survivorship implications are still emerging. Doctors treat; survivors live with the aftermath. I've done both—twice. CREDENTIALS & PROJECTS • Founder: Strap In For Life 501(c)(3) nonprofit • Author: Internal Architect: A Cancer Survivor's Memoir • Licensed Insurance Agent (practical healthcare system navigation) • 17-year cancer survivor documenting the journey since 2008 WHAT I WRITE ABOUT Cancer survivorship doesn't end when treatment stops—it's when the real reconstruction begins. My blog covers: • Practical survivorship (relationships, careers, identity) • Treatment experience insights (what they don't tell you) • Long-term effects and secondary health considerations • Mental health and emotional reconstruction • Healthcare system navigation