On September 8, 2023, I was diagnosed with Mantel Cell Lymphoma.
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare, aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). It starts in the mantle zone, which is the outer ring of small lymphocytes surrounding the center of a lymphatic nodule. MCL accounts for roughly six percent of all NHL cases in the United States.
MCL is caused by a malignant transformation of a B lymphocyte in the mantle zone. The transformed B lymphocyte grows in an uncontrolled way, resulting in the accumulation of lymphoma cells, which causes enlargement of lymph nodes.
I consider myself to be a man of great faith and believe strongly in Christ however, you can imagine that a diagnosis such as MCL might cause one to question their faith.
For me, this diagnosis has actually brought me closer to Christ and I have been burdened to share my testimony. As I write this, I am about 2-3 weeks into this journey. I intend to provide a blog post anytime something new occurs and will also share a verse or an experience that I had in my walk with Christ during this journey.
My hope, is that others with MCL would be helped by learning about my own experience and that I might lead a few to Christ.