When Brother Jeff Craig (Ball State, ‘98) returned home to Northwest Indiana for winter break during his freshman year , he expected little more than some quality time with family. A quick doctor’s visit for a prescription refill turned into something much more serious when his new physician found a mass. At just 19 years old, Craig was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
The months that followed were anything but ordinary for a freshman college student. What began as one tumor quickly revealed itself to be more serious. After surgery to remove the affected testicle, further scans showed that the cancer had already spread to his pelvic lymph nodes. The news forced Craig to take medical leave from Ball State and begin the exhausting regiment of major surgery and chemotherapy. This journey would stretch across months of hospital visits, setbacks, and slow recovery.
“The size of the incision was comparable to having open heart surgery,” Craig said. “I had over a hundred staples in me to close it up, and I couldn’t even get out of bed for the first few days.”
The recovery process wasn’t easy, but Craig took it one step at a time. After deciding to stay closer to his family in Northwest Indiana while rebuilding his strength, both physically and mentally, he enrolled at Purdue University-Calumet. That year became a crucial part of his recovery, giving him the space to rest and regain his energy, and to start piecing his life back together after the battle that changed everything.
But cancer wasn’t the end of Craig’s story, it was a new chapter.
After a year away, Craig returned to Ball State in the fall of 1995. That’s when he found Lambda Chi Alpha. Through connections with a few high school friends who had joined the Fraternity, Craig was introduced to the Brotherhood. It immediately clicked for him; he had found something that was missing.
“At the end of the day, it was just nice to get back into a routine,” Craig said. “Just being back in the classroom and going through the normal things a 19-year-old would go through.
Joining Lambda Chi felt natural. The Brothers didn’t just accept him, but they embraced his story and his strength without hesitation. Even as a slightly older student (Craig was 21 at the time of he became a New Member), he found a true sense of belonging from these men who treated him like family.
“I never shied away, to my buddies, I never shied away in regard to talking about it or sharing it. It was all out there on the table. It’s a Brotherhood.”
In a time before Movember partnerships and widespread men’s health awareness, Craig’s experience stood out for many. Testicular cancer (like many men’s cancers) is often overlooked and misunderstood and is rarely talked about publicly. But within the Brotherhood, he found the support he needed and over the years, he’s become a mentor and advocate, ready to share his story whenever it might help someone else.
Years after his own battle, Craig’s experience came full circle when a close friend reached out with alarming news. While Craig was living in San Jose, a friend back home texted him, worried he might have testicular cancer, too. His friend’s diagnosis was confirmed but fortunately, it had not spread beyond the testicle, and he was about to treat it. Having walked the road himself, Craig became a source of advice and strength. He didn’t hesitate to talk with his friend, offering advice, reassurance, and the kind of perspective only a survivor could provide. It was a powerful reminder of how Brotherhood can make all the difference.
Through it all, Craig’s commitment to raising awareness for men’s health remains strong. From championing Movember to supporting cancer research, he sees every race medal and every conversation as a reminder that survivorship isn’t just about living, but it’s about lifting others.
Today, he’s a passionate advocate for early detection, especially encouraging young men. He knows firsthand that early detection makes all the difference. Survival rates for testicular cancer jumped from around 50% in the 1970s to 98% by the time he was treated.
“It doesn’t take a whole lot to get yourself checked out. You’re better off getting checked out, whether it’s yourself or going to see the doctor, versus waiting and then it’s in your pelvic region or your lungs,” said Craig.
Craig channels the same spirit of resilience and service into his work with the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation. After a long and successful career in sales, marketing, and higher education fundraising, he returned to Lambda Chi (this time as a professional), leading efforts to connect Alumni and strengthen the Brotherhood for future generations.
For Craig, Brotherhood didn’t just help him heal, it gave him a lifelong mission. His advice to all Lambda Chis, and anyone facing adversity, is simple but powerful. “Enjoy the ride. Take advantage of everything that’s thrown your way. You’ll never regret the memories and relationships you build in life.”
