A Note about My Health

Dear Church,

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer exactly ten years ago. Mantle Cell is a B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that develops in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood, and gastrointestinal system. There is no cure and will never be in total remission. The average time to recurrence is about seven years.

I first noticed symptoms and started to feel less than 100% this fall. I’ve had some tests and scans in the past couple of months, and last week learned that it has returned. I am waiting on a biopsy and a PET scan next week to confirm that it’s MCL and gauge its aggressiveness so as to determine the course of treatment.

While this is not welcome news, the good news is that treatment options have advanced considerably since I was first diagnosed. We will know more after Christmas, but I’m hopeful that I will not need to miss significant time due to treatment.

Annandale is blessed with an exceptional pastor in Peter, a very strong staff, and trusted lay leaders. The church’s ministry will continue without missing a beat.

I thought it was important to be candid with the congregation rather than let the news leak out or get passed along a grapevine. I will continue to be transparent about my progress, as appropriate. But I also want to respect my family’s privacy just as I do not want our focus as a church to be on anything other than the Main Thing.

My family and I are still adjusting to the news. We only ask for your prayers— and for your patience while I’m not feeling 100%. If you’re wondering what you can do to help, the answer is actually that you can continue to support the church and volunteer with our ministries.

I’d prefer not to feel bound to respond to every note or question that may arise. If you have any concerns or questions, please send them to Elaine Woods at ewoods@annandale-umc.org and she’ll be sure to answer or pass them along to me.

During my first bout with MCL, I wrote a book called Cancer Is Funny. Allow me to reiterate I did NOT choose the title of that book and I like it even less today.

Thank you for being part of Annandale UMC and for your prayers and support. Remember: keep your focus on the Main Thing.

Enjoy your forgiveness,

Rev. Jason Micheli