NC resident comes to Indy for testicular cancer treatment

He’s still going through treatment and even from his hospital bed, this patient says he wants to educate and support others with a cancer diagnosis.

By IU Health Senior Journalist, TJ Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org

There are several chapters to Christopher “Chris” Curry’s story. A cancer diagnosis is only one.

At 41, Curry is a firm believer in the power of positivity, embracing a network of friends and family members, and taking care of his body. He’s an avid surfer, and he and his wife Elie own a health food restaurant.

On Jan. 16, 2022, Curry was diagnosed with seminoma testicular cancer. The slow-growing form of testicular cancer is generally found in men in their 40s and 50s. Curry first saw his physician when he felt aggressive pains in his side. He then noticed his right testicle was enlarged. The pain kept him awake at night and wouldn’t ease up even after he took extra strength pain medication.

At one point he walked into a room and his wife said he was as white as a ghost. They made a trip to ER and within two hours he received his diagnosis. The cancer had spread to his lymph nodes and abdomen.

Curry began chemotherapy back home near Wrightsville Beach, N.C. and completed three rounds on April 28, 2022. Scans showed that the tumors were shrinking but were still noticeable.

By October 2022 the pain was back and was worse than Curry ever remembers. Two months later, scans showed the cancer had progressed. Testicular cancer starts in the testes, but can spread to the lymph nodes in other parts of the body.

“I remember feeling a wave of emotions, like here we go again,” said Curry. “For 24 hours my conversation with my wife was wild. My brain was going so many different directions but I wanted to keep calm.”

At one point, his oncologist in North Carolina referred him to IU Health and Dr. Lawrence Einhorn. Dr. Einhorn is known for his successful treatment of testicular cancer - germ cell tumors - using a mix of high dose chemotherapies and peripheral stem cell transplant. His patients come from throughout the United States and even from other countries.

“I didn’t know much about him so I started googling his name and the more I read, the more I knew I was being pulled to come to Indianapolis,” said Curry. “It just felt like the natural direction. And then Dr. Einhorn was in California when he called me and I knew this was someone who spoke casually but I also felt comfort and knew he was serious.”

Curry received his stem cell transplant on Valentine’s Day so he calls his cells his “love cells.” His reference comes naturally.

Five years ago, Curry met the woman he would marry. He didn’t know it at the time and neither did she. They learned quickly that they had a lot in common. She grew up in Ocean City, Md. and both of their fathers competed against each other in surfing.

“It was magical when I met her. I felt like my whole life changed in the blink of an eye,” said Curry. They were married in October 2020.

Together they opened a health food restaurant that caters to their coastal community. The eatery focuses on nutrition-dense food and beverages. It is also a “water diversion” restaurant. It was important to the Currys to use recyclable, reusable, and returnable glass and to serve food in biodegradable compostable packaging. They compost about 500-750 pounds of organic material a week - distributed to local farms in the community.

It’s all done in an effort to invest in the future of the planet for future generations - including their own.

When Curry was diagnosed with testicular cancer, the couple began looking to the future and starting a family.

“I banked my specimen and once I got through chemotherapy we started IVF. It was like we were going through a crash course in science,” said Curry. His wife is expecting a baby girl on June 2. “It was like we knew it would be a girl and we have two more embryos as we grow our family. I really believe all of this has come about in it’s own time. I am receiving the best care at IU Health and feel great in spite of my diagnosis. It’s all about a mindset and the company you keep.”