Hank Green, a science educator and best-selling author, announced in a YouTube video on Friday that he has cancer and has started treatment.
Green revealed the news in a video titled “Vlogbrothers,” a popular YouTube channel he co-runs with his brother, writer John Green “Well, I have cancer.”
Green shared that he noticed enlargements in his lymph nodes. A biopsy revealed he had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
According to the American Cancer SocietySymptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include enlarged lymph nodes that aren’t usually painful, as well as fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Green said in the video that he felt “fine” and hadn’t felt any symptoms other than the enlarged lymph nodes.
Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most treatable types of cancerand requires multiple rounds of chemotherapy. Green underwent his first treatment on Friday. He said his recent scans showed the cancer hadn’t spread from the left armpit and chest area, where it was originally located, which he said was “very good news”.
“I know I’m going to feel like trash. It’s going to be really uncomfortable,” he said in the video, referring to the chemotherapy. (Green captured the video just before his first treatment.)
“I want to be a ‘funny, goofy scientist,’ not some ‘anxiety-battling cancer guy.'” And you know, you can be both,” Green said, acknowledging how people might perceive him now that they’re of know his diagnosis. “I think I just have to let that go. Because it’s just one more thing that I have no control over right now, and that’s a lot of things.”
Green is best known for the Vlogbrothers channel. He and his brother John founded the channel over a decade ago and have built a following of more than 3.56 million subscribers. The two also operate another channel, crash coursethat goes into it Various topics such as science and US history.
Green is the author of the science fiction novel An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and its sequel. “A wonderfully stupid undertaking.” He’s a too popular science educatorand that is often the case tagged in videos on TikTok to answer scientific questions and myths. His brother is the author of several books, including the best-selling novel The Fault in Our Stars.
In the video released Friday, Green said he’s not sure what his future work will be while he undergoes treatment, but he’s taking it day by day and will create whenever he feels like it.
“I hope this isn’t my last Vlogbrothers video in four months or whatever. If yes, then so be it. I don’t want to put myself under pressure,” he said. “We’re going to play it by ear and find out day by day. And I continue to be immensely grateful for so many things in my life, including this one.”