Olympic Snowboard Silver Medalist Max Parrot Diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma

Snowboarding star Max Parrot was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in December after undergoing a biopsy for a bump on his neck.

"It was tough to hear the news, and it's still hard now," the Canadian said, per BBC.com.

Hodgkin lymphoma, per the Mayo Clinic, is a cancer of the lymphatic system in which "cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond it." 

Parrot described his health situation in a news conference Thursday:

"The first symptoms appeared when I started scratching my skin repeatedly. It started all the way back in September."

"And then, in November, I realized I had a bump on my neck. I had a swollen gland. I saw my family doctor and he sent me for a biopsy. I received the diagnosis a few days before Christmas, confirming that I had Hodgkin lymphoma."

Parrot is expected to miss the rest of the season as he undergoes a six-month chemotherapy treatment. Per the BBC, the 24-year-old snowboarder has already had one procedure and has started chemo.

The diagnosis will keep Parrot from competing on the slopes for the time being, but he is ready to face his latest challenge.

"This is a new kind of competition I must face, and I intend to do everything I can to win," the Quebec native added, per CBC News.

Parrot is a five-time Winter X Games gold medalist and was the slopestyle silver medalist at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. While he also competed at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, his silver in Pyeongchang represents his first Olympic medal.