Dylan Haynes
Shortly after finishing medical school, Dylan’s career as a newly minted physician took an abrupt turn. Days after finishing a month-long stent in the ICU caring for critically ill patients with COVID-19, Dylan underwent a corrective surgery to repair an anatomical issue that had been interfering with breathing for years. Although the surgery went well, the recovery did not – his eyes swelled shut, his face became hidden with evolving bruises, and he continued to lose significant amounts of blood. At his scheduled post-operative appointment with his surgeon 5 days after the procedure, routine blood work was ordered. Later that evening, he received his diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia. As of the time of this writing, he has undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy, enrolled in a clinical trial targeted toward the specific mutations his cancer harbors, and is scheduled to undergo an allogeneic bone marrow transplant.
Prior to his diagnosis, Dylan was a multifaceted individual. Not only had he completed medical school but also obtained a Master’s in clinical research along the way with aspirations to utilize machine learning algorithms to detect cutaneous disease. Moreover, he was an avid gym-goer and always made time for exercise despite his rigorous schedule. When he wasn’t in the hospital or writing research papers from home, his coach noted that he could be found on the lifting platforms tirelessly tweaking his form or devising gut-wrenching WODs for him and the other patriots of CrossFit PE.
Although his treatments will preclude him from returning to work or participating in strenuous exercise for several months as his immune system and blood counts recover, he has made every effort to remain proactive. At night he reads programming books to continuing working toward his professional aspirations, and during the day – while not admitted to the hospital or attending countless clinic visits – he walks with his new fiancée to maintain his strength for when he can return to the gym. Among his family and friends, a common phrase has arisen: “If anyone were strong enough to get through this, it would be Dylan.”
Through this process, Dylan has done his best to remain positive and grow as a person, patient, and future physician. He notes that this experience has “reinforced his commitment to becoming a physician to care for those in need.” He later goes on to express his sincerest gratitude to his friends, family, colleagues, and the many other support systems in his life – including the CrossFit community. Without doubt, Dylan is the kind of person that will find ways both big and small to give back to his community once he finds his health again.
