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White Sox's Liam Hendriks rings victory bell after last round of chemotherapy

The Chicago closer announced in January that he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma

callie lawson-freeman
Contributing writer
·2 min read
3
Jul 19, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; American League relief pitcher Liam Hendriks (31) of the Chicago White Sox reacts after outfielder Julio Rodriguez (not pictured) of the Seattle Mariners made a catch against the National League for the final out of the eighth inning of the 2022 MLB All Star Game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Liam Hendriks of the Chicago White Sox is done with chemo. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

In January, Chicago White Sox veteran Liam Hendriks announced he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and was beginning treatment.

On Wednesday, the 34-year-old shared a video of the moment he was able to ring the victory bell to celebrate the completion of his final round of chemotherapy, along with a look into his experience since then.

"These past 5 months have been both the quickest and slowest of my life," Hendriks wrote. "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."

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A post shared by Liam Hendriks (@hendriks_31)

In addition to thanking his wife, Kristi, Hendriks sent gratitude to his "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," he wrote.

While there is no timetable for Hendriks to return to the field, the White Sox did not place him on the 60-day injured list to begin the season, which allows a window for him to return before May 29.

During the White Sox's home opener, fans were surprised when the scoreboard lit up with a video message from the Aussie.

"Happy Opening Day, Sox fans. Just want to let you know I'm starting my last round of chemo today. So, I'll see you guys on the South Side soon," he said.

The closer is a three-time All-Star and 12-year MLB veteran. Before joining the White Sox in 2021, he made appearances for the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins.

Two of his All-Star seasons were with the White Sox. In 2021, he led the AL in saves and pitched for a 2.66 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, striking out 198 batters in 128 2/3 innings.