The ODD BALLS Origin Story (Spoiler: It Starts With Cancer and Mushrooms)

Let’s rewind to 2021. I was 30, feeling strong, adventuring around, and fully convinced that cancer was something that happened to other people—preferably people who weren’t me.

Plot twist: it was me. And it was testicular cancer.

I knew something was up (down there) for way too long, and ignored it.

Within a week of finally going to a doctor, I was on the operating table to remove the tumor. Then came four months of chemo, a stack of biopsies, too many specialists to count, lots of blood draws, needle pokes, and shriveled up veins.

And a lot of trying to keep my head on straight while everything else felt like it was falling apart.

It was a season of life I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But—here’s anothe twist—it also kicked off something I never saw coming: a new direction, a new purpose, and eventually... a ball.

Or rather, ODD BALLS.

Functional Mushrooms: Not Just for Wizards

While getting zapped with chemo on the reg, I was looking for anything—anything—to keep my energy up and my brain from turning into oatmeal. And functional mushrooms became that "anything". (Not the trippy kind. These were all business.)

I started experimenting with a few:

• Lion’s Mane for focus and mental clarity

• Cordyceps for energy

• Turkey Tail (specifically beta glucans) for immune support

And these little guys worked. Not like a double espresso or a sugar crash waiting to happen, but like a slow, steady fire being relit inside, without the smoke.

Okay, But Was That Just Placebo?

If you’re wondering if this is just mushroom marketing fluff from the Big Mushroom Conglomerate—let’s nerd out for a second:

🧠 Lion’s Mane contains compounds called erinacines, which have been shown to stimulate nerve regeneration—that’s right, actually help heal damaged neurons. During and after chemo, that meant clearer thinking, better memory, and less of that classic “chemo brain” fog.

💨 Cordyceps produces cordycepin, a compound that boosts ATP production and oxygen uptake in red blood cells. Since chemo tends to wipe out your red blood cell count and leave you feeling like a deflated balloon, this was huge for helping me regain stamina and endurance.

🛡️ Turkey Tail is loaded with beta-glucans, which act like a wake-up call for your immune system. After chemo wrecks your white blood cells (which it does, while trying to nuke the cancer, it nukes everything else), this mushroom helps stimulate immune recovery. It helps you fight off the sniffles, bugs, and the Vid-19 that can kill you when your immune system is wiped out.

So yeah—these weren’t just trendy mushrooms. They were functional & medicinal, in every sense of the words. Read more about them HERE>

From Cancer Patient to Snack Guy

ODD BALLS was born in my kitchen with a blender, a bunch of dates, and a stubborn desire to turn this weird chapter of my life into something helpful (and tasty).

They’re organic energy balls infused with functional mushroom extracts—but more than that, they’re a nudge. A reminder to check your own odd balls, bumps, or lumps. To not ignore the signs like I did. To take care of yourself like your life depends on it—because it does.

Not Just Snacks. Not Just Me.

This isn’t about me being “inspirational” or turning into some health guru. I’m just a guy who got kicked (literally) and decided to turn his new found inferiority complex of being a ball short—into a business making thousands of balls 😉.

ODD BALLS is a snack with a message, and part of every purchase goes to support young adults with cancer—because we’re an underserved group, and I know firsthand how much that support matters.

So if you’ve read this far, here’s my ask:
👉 Take your health seriously.
👉 Live fully, even when life gets weird.
👉 And strive to thrive, not just survive (new record label in the works...)

Know someone who could use a reminder to check their health?
Forward this post their way. It might just kickstart that all too important doctor visit...

Odd Ball Jon
Founder & Cancer Thriver