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Kody Funderburk and Alicia Funderburk’s parenthood journey didn’t start off how they planned.
Indeed, the Minnesota Twins—who drafted the MLB pitcher in 2018—gave fans an update on the athlete’s family after he and his wife welcomed their first baby together, a little girl named Murphy Jo. Her arrival comes after Alicia was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma during her pregnancy.
“Fundy is back from the Paternity List,” the team wrote on X April 25 alongside a photo of the couple on the baseball field, “but we want to take a moment to share more of his and his wife’s story.”
“While pregnant, Alicia, Kody’s wife, was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma,” a separate post continued featuring a snap of Alicia in the hospital. “After ongoing chemotherapy treatments, doctors are hopeful that she’ll make a full recovery.”
Amid Alicia’s health battle, the couple safely welcomed their newborn.
“Baby Fundy arrived on Monday, April 20th – a healthy baby girl, Murphy Jo,” the team added. “Both Alicia and Murphy are doing well!”
“We are inspired by the strength and positivity the Funderburks have shown,” they continued, “and we wish them the very best and continue to support them on and off the field.”
A few days before the couple welcomed their baby girl, Alicia opened up about the shock of her diagnosis.
Instagram/Alicia Funderburk
“A little photo recap and life update from the last few months,” she captioned an April 15 Instagram post. “From getting pregnant to being diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, life recently has had some surprises.”
“While this season of life hasn’t looked how we imagined, Kody and I are beyond grateful for all the love, prayers, and support around us,” she continued. “We have been constantly reminded of how blessed we are every step of the way.”
“Baby Fundy is already so loved (and clearly already likes to keep things interesting),” she added. “We can’t wait to meet them in a few days!”
Instagram/Alicia Funderburk
Though her pregnancy didn’t go how the couple hoped, Kody emphasized how early detection was the key to keeping mom and baby healthy.
“We caught it early enough. It was just more about, ‘OK, what do we need to do?’” the baseball star told St. Paul Pioneer Press April 19. “Kind of like how baseball is, you kind of get to your process, ‘OK, what’s next? OK, go execute that. What’s next? OK, let’s do that.’”
For more stars who have spoken about their cancer journeys, read on…
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