Twins Pitcher’s Wife Battles Hodgkin’s Lymphoma During Pregnancy
Twins pitcher Kody Funderburk and his wife Alicia welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Murphy Jo Funderburk, on Monday in Minnesota. The baby arrived healthy at 6 pounds 13 ounces, with Kody present for the birth. Alicia Funderburk was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma during her pregnancy after testing revealed the condition early in her gestation. She had been undergoing chemotherapy, which was paused as her delivery date approached, and is set to resume treatment in the coming weeks following the birth of their daughter. Kody Funderburk was placed on the paternity list by the Twins, allowing him up to three days away from the team, and he rejoined his teammates in St. Petersburg for their weekend series against the Rays after the birth.
Alicia shared her gratitude on social media, stating, “Kody and I have been on cloud 9 these last few days, enjoying so many newborn snuggles. Thank you to everyone for all the prayers and support. It means the world to us,” in a post resharing the Twins’ announcement on Instagram. The Twins organization expressed their support, saying, “We are inspired by the strength and positivity the Funderburks have shown and we wish them the very best and continue to support them on and off the field.” Kody reflected on the situation, noting, “Yeah, this sucks, but we do have a lot of positives to be thankful for, and I think that’s really what you lean into when something like this is going on,” as reported by Yahoo Sports during the time of diagnosis.
As she neared her due date, Alicia halted chemotherapy and is set to resume treatment in a few weeks following Murphy Jo’s birth. Kody emphasized his wife’s strength, saying, “That’s easy … How much of a badass her mom is being able to go through what she is going through,” and added, “She was making jokes in the middle of it. She’s as tough as it comes. I’m always going to notify Murphy Jo how cool her mom is.” He also expressed being overwhelmed by the support from Twins fans, stating, “The kind messages and words of encouragement show us there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”