Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks rang the “victory bell” Wednesday after completing his final round of chemotherapy, five months after being diagnosed with cancer.
Hendriks gave White Sox fans a positive update on his battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma before the team’s home opener, saying his last round of chemo was on the way.
“So I’ll see you guys on the South Side soon. Play ball,” Hendriks said.
Hendriks posted video of the moment he rang the bell, joking it was “louder than I expected.”
He also wanted to recap how these last five months have changed him.
“You never think you will be the one who hears “you have cancer” but there I was… in shock and fear not knowing what comes next,” he wrote on Instagram. “I started treatment after SO many life altering appointments on January 9th, 2023. Every 28 days, I would have another round. Every 28 days, I got closer to the PET scan that would dictate how many more rounds there would be. Every 28 days, I got closer to this moment.
“These past 5 months have been both the quickest and slowest of my life. Being able to ring this victory bell has been one of the most emotional things I’ve ever done. I cannot thank my team of doctors and nurses enough for coming up with the best medical plan for me. No words can express the gratitude I have for them saving my life.”
Hendriks also took the time to thank those closest to him.
“To my wife: You came to every single appointment. You held my hand every step of the way,” Hendriks said. “You were my voice of confidence and always made sure I felt loved and safe throughout it all. I love you.
“To family, friends and fans: Your support kept me going. You kept me in the right frame of mind to beat this. Your encouragement made a bigger difference than you will ever know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Hendriks announced his cancer diagnosis in January, saying doctors believed it was treatable.
Luckily, that was the case for Hendriks, who can now focus on baseball.
Hendriks is coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons.
He had 37 saves in 2022 and a league-high 38 in 2021, both All-Star campaigns.
He had 85 strikeouts in 57.2 innings with a 2.81 ERA last season.
Hendriks will be entering his 13th season in MLB, his third with the White Sox.
Since his transition to a reliever, the Perth, Australia, native has made quite a career getting hitters out and being consistent, especially since his first All-Star campaign in 2019 with the Oakland Athletics.
Hendriks has also had stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.
There’s no timetable for when Hendriks will return to the White Sox this season.