Patient with multiple myeloma hoping to be home for Christmas

He started losing weight and ended up having a bone marrow biopsy.

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

For 20 years, Erik Hill has worked as a forklift driver at the Indianapolis CVS distribution hub. He had co-workers who knew him well and recognized him by his 240-pound frame. So, when he started losing weight, they asked about his health.

“People would tell me to eat and I began to realize it wasn’t just that I was losing weight, I was also feeling sluggish. Something wasn’t right,” said Hill, 59. In August of 2024, he went to his doctor where he had two bone marrow biopsies in one day.

“They came to my bedside and said I have cancer. I said, ‘I can’t have cancer, I’m a Pisces’” Hill said with a chuckle. His birthday is February and falls under the astrological sign of Pisces.

At different moments, Hill has coped with his diagnosis with levity. Other times, it’s sadness.

He stayed in another hospital for a week where he said he was given a lot of homework and education about his diagnosis. Specifically, Hill has multiple myeloma, a cancer that forms in the white blood cells and builds up in bone marrow.

When he went home, he said he was drawn to TV commercials about cancer. “It’s one thing for me to have it but then I see these little kids who have barely lived their lives. I decided I wasn’t going to be grumpy; I was going to hopeful.”

He decided to come to IU Health Simon Cancer Center for treatment and is in the care of Dr. Attaya Suvannasankha who specializes in hematology. After a stem cell transplant, Hill said he felt like he had a new birthday.

“The doctors say they have never met a person more positive than me. When you’re positive, it gives others some of that positivity and good energy,” said Hill.

When the cancer became active, he returned to Simon Cancer Center for Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. A type of immunotherapy, CAR-T activates immune cells (T cells) that work against damaged cells. Hill’s T-cells were collected and multiplied and then infused back into his body to attack the cancer.

“Dr. Suvannasankha is a million on a scale of one to 10,” said Hill. As he reflects on his treatment, Hill stays positive by looking at those he holds dear. He plans to marry his best friend and childhood sweetheart, Myra Sharp, in February. He also wants to return to travel to the East Coast to surprise his mother for Christmas.

A native of New York, Hill is the second oldest of six. For years, he was involved in producing music, something he continues to enjoy. During his inpatient stays at IU Health Simon Cancer Center Hill has participated in music, yoga, and art therapy. The therapies are designed to care for the whole patient and help with pain management, anxiety, and overall healing. He also walks laps around his unit and rides the stationary bicycle.