After 18 weeks of chemotherapy, Yellowknife hip-hop artist Aaron “Godson” Hernandez has learned that “cancer is no longer present” in his body.
“I’m just overjoyed that the treatments have worked,” he said soon after receiving the news.
Godson has been making music in the NWT for decades, and has also entertained as a DJ. His musical career has seen him perform at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and receive some impressive recognition, including a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012. He has also appeared on popular TV shows like Dragon’s Den and Family Feud.
Late last year, he was diagnosed with stage four anaplastic T-cell lymphoma. Soon after, he began his intensive chemotherapy treatment, which was split between Edmonton and Yellowknife.
The first few sessions took a toll, he admitted, but by the time it was over, he was pleased with how well it went.
“I was very surprised at how well my body reacted to the treatments,” he said. “I handled it very well. I didn’t really have many side effects or pain — virtually no pain.”
The end of Godson’s chemotherapy coincided with the pet scan that revealed there is no more cancer in his body.
The next step for the popular performer is a stem cell transplant, which will help ensure the cancer doesn’t return. During the week of June 3, he will head back to Edmonton for about a week for the first part of the process. In late June, he’ll return for the transplant procedure, and after about five weeks of tests and rest, he will be able to return home.
As Godson nears the final step of his recovery, he is grateful to many people, including his numerous supporters, who not only showered him with love and support on social media, but donated more than $40,000 to a GoFundMe campaign in support of his family.
“It meant everything,” he said of the contributions. “I don’t know how we could have done this without the support of the community. It’s a lot to undertake when you’re having really no income, and you still have to maintain a household while you are going through the treatments and not being able to work or to do much of anything.
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone that’s contributed,” he added. “I didn’t realize just how much this [process] took financially to keep things afloat.”
Godson is most grateful to his family, who supported him throughout his entire cancer journey. He called his wife his “rock” and “a warrior,” and thanked his kids for their bravery. He also feels indebted to his mother and brother, who kept his Yellowknife home running smoothly when he and his wife were in Edmonton.
“The family was very, very important throughout this process,” he said.
In the end, the rapper believes family is the reason he’s beating cancer.
“When I first got the initial news of my diagnosis, I could have gone two ways,” he said. “I could have just crawled up into a ball and been all depressed about it, or I could change my whole mindset and stay positive throughout this. In my head, when I made that switch in mindset, that I was gonna beat this thing, from then on, I knew that I was gonna beat it. It was just a matter of getting through the treatments and staying strong for my family, for my wife. Really, it was the mindset of staying strong for them that helped get rid of the cancer in my body.
“I give myself no credit. It was all them.”
Godson said his cancer journey has changed his perspective entirely, and opened his eyes to the importance of “living your best life.” For the Yellowknife performer, doing that includes putting out more music.
It’s been a long time since Godson has released any songs. Shortly after his diagnosis, he announced plans to drop his first track in nearly 10 years, but ultimately decided to hold off, and is now expanding the song to cover his whole cancer journey so that others can take comfort in his story. He plans to deliver the upgraded track this summer.
“I just wanted to make sure that people get to hear is the whole journey, not just the one part of it, because a lot has changed,” he said. “My experience, from the cancer diagnosis to the treatments, I know there’s a lot of people that are going through it right now too.
“I’m making it my mission to kind of be the person that they can look to and see that if you change your mindset, it can happen.”
