Carry On Ben Griswold's Mission

Benjamin Griswold was a steadfast Marine, loving father, devoted husband, caring son, and the best brother I could have asked for. On January 29, surrounded by his family, Ben peacefully took his last breath.

Since his 2013 diagnosis of stage-4 follicular non-hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 29, Ben fought for his life with extraordinary resolve. Despite recurrence of the lymphoma in 2017 and a later diagnosis of treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia (AML) less than a year later, Ben retained contagious optimism, a humble appreciation for his medical team and those working to save him, and an infallible devotion to ensure a future for his beloved family. Ben leaves behind a loving wife, Jessica, and three young children - Oliver (7), Jack (5), and Arya (3).

Beneath the outward show of confidence, Ben suffered and lived with unimaginable pain. Yet he persevered. Despite three separate cancer diagnoses, a barrage of invasive treatment regimens, and prolonged periods of time away from his family, Ben approached each setback as “another mountain to climb.” And we climbed with him - holding on to every shred of hope he would someday beat cancer for good.

But this is not just a story about one man and his family. Ben had another mission: to raise awareness and save lives. Ben’s physicians linked his initial lymphoma diagnosis to his military service. During his three deployments (Iraq, 2003; Afghanistan, 2004; Iraq, 2005), Ben was exposed to depleted uranium, as well as countless oil field fires and open air burn pits. In 2020, Ben connected with the HunterSeven Foundation, a service-based 501(c)(3) on a mission to raise awareness about military exposures, conduct medical research into their effects on human health, and provide financial assistance to service members and their families impacted by this exposure. Ben began sharing his story with HunterSeven, participated in interviews and round tables about his experience, and met fellow veterans with similar stories. Ben told us that when he felt better he wanted to make raising awareness his new mission, as he was pained to see countless veterans suffer the way he had.