Cancer-free Liam Hendriks returns makes minor-league return to mound

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (CBS) -- The Liam Hendriks comeback continues.

He threw nine pitches seventh inning in his first minor league rehab outing with Triple-A Charlotte - this just five months removed from his cancer diagnosis.

Hendriks says his wife helped him realize why his comeback means so much to so many people.

"It's more about you overcoming something extreme and then what you getting back on the mound so quickly represents to a lot of people who are going through this right now," Hendriks said, "and that's something that you really have to reflect on, because it's a lot bigger than just me."

The Charlotte Knights lost 2-0 to the Gwinnett Stripers – but Hendriks did strike out one hitter.

Hendriks said he first noticed lumps in his neck last June, and ultimately growths in his hips were larger - eventually leading to a Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in December.

Hendriks said it was tough going through four rounds of chemotherapy. But he now has a clean bill of health.

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