From Patient to Nurse: How Zach’s Experience with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the Jimmy Everest Center Shaped His Calling

Zach McMillan had a dream to be an aeronautical engineer in the military. In early 2014, as an active 18-year-old senior, he was playing tennis when he felt a strange pop under his collarbone. His mom, a nurse, felt a lump and quickly took him to get checked out.

After an X-ray, Zach was referred to Oklahoma Children’s OU Health. He didn’t fully understand the seriousness of his situation at that time, but he soon would.

Zach’s first meeting was with pediatric hematologist-oncologist, Dr. Rene Y. McNall-Knapp, M.D., FAAP, director of neuro-oncology and professor in the Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

Dr. McNall ordered further tests and confirmed that Zach had Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

What is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?

Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, which is part of your body’s immune system. It happens when certain white blood cells, called lymphocytes, change and grow out of control.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Where it starts: Usually in the lymph nodes (like in the neck, chest, or underarms).
• What it does: Causes swelling in the lymph nodes and can spread to other parts of the body.
• Common signs: Painless swollen lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss, and fatigue.
• Good news: One of the most treatable cancers, especially when found early.

Treatment options include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Monitoring
• Stem cell transplant
• Supportive care

Treatment Begins

Zach was placed under the care of pediatric hematologist Dr. Hanumantha Pokala, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics and section of pediatric hematology/oncology at the OU College of Medicine.

A small medical device called a port was placed under Zach’s skin, allowing chemotherapy to be administered directly into his bloodstream without repeated needle sticks. Beginning in February 2014, Zach started weekly treatment. But instead of the standard chemotherapy, he took part in a clinical trial, testing a new drug.

“The nurses at Jimmy Everest Center were incredible,” Zach shared. “They fought over who got to take care of me. I always felt seen and supported.”

Zach responded well. After a couple of months of chemotherapy, his tests showed that the cancer was in remission.

A Setback

After finishing treatment, Zach returned to school and stayed in remission for two years. But a routine scan showed that the cancer had come back, and more aggressively. He returned to Jimmy Everest Center for a new treatment plan.

When Hodgkin’s lymphoma returns or doesn’t respond to initial treatment, doctors may use autologous stem cell therapy. This is a kind of treatment that uses very strong chemotherapy and the patient’s own stem cells to try to destroy the cancer.

How it works:

1. Healthy stem cells are collected from the patient’s blood and frozen for future use. (These are important because they will help the body make new blood cells after chemotherapy.)
2. High doses of chemotherapy is started. While this intense treatment destroys cancer cells, it also damages the bone marrow.
3. Saved stem cells are returned to the patient’s body through an IV, repopulating the bone marrow with healthy blood cells and helping the body recover faster from the effects of the strong chemo.

This treatment is standard for young adults, like Zach, when other treatments aren’t enough.

Zach stayed in the hospital after his bone marrow transplant. Patients are usually hospitalized for about a month, but Zach was determined to leave well before then.

“I told my bone marrow transplant doctor that I would leave as soon as I could and beat the record,” Zach recalls. “I worked as hard as possible to be well enough to leave, and in the end, I was discharged after just 14 days. Someone else has since beaten that record but I was proud to hold it, even if it was brief.”

Before doctors could confirm whether the treatment had worked, Zach needed to complete radiation therapy — five days a week for a month. When treatment wrapped up in July, his scans revealed the best news yet: the cancer was in remission.

Great News and a Change of Direction

While the treatment was difficult, the care and encouragement Zach received from the team at Jimmy Everest Center profoundly impacted him. In fact, Zach credits those experiences as the reason he changed his career path. Once dreaming of becoming an aeronautical engineer, he instead felt called to a career in nursing.

“My mom likes to say I got cancer twice because God really wanted me to become a nurse,” he said with a smile.

In November 2023, Zach officially joined the Jimmy Everest Center team, but this time as an infusion nurse. He now works alongside some of the very people who once cared for him.

“It’s my dream job,” he says. “To be part of the place that saved my life, and to help kids going through what I did, is something really special. The team at Jimmy Everest Center gives you light in the darkest moments of your life. They offer peace of mind, a laugh when you need it, and reassurance when you’re scared. They bring hope.”

Jimmy Everest Center’s 30^th Anniversary

Celebrating 30 years of hope and healing, the Jimmy Everest Center stands at the forefront of pediatric cancer care in Oklahoma. Your support does more than treat illness; it fuels groundbreaking research, provides comfort to families, and ensures every child receives the most advanced, compassionate care possible. Every gift brings us closer to a future where no child faces cancer alone.

By supporting the Jimmy Everest Center, you help extend our reach, advance lifesaving treatments, and inspire hope in children and families across Oklahoma and beyond. Join us in shaping a brighter tomorrow for pediatric cancer care.

Learn more about the Jimmy Everest Center or donate today to make a lasting impact on the lives of children fighting cancer.