Our 2023 Mission Moment speaker Marcus Humphrey, had one of the worst cases of lymphoma that Brian Hess, M.D., had ever seen.

A full-body scan showed Marcus’ body peppered with lymphoma, no nook or cranny untouched. The lymphoma, which showed up as an eerie white emptiness on the scan, ranged from dots and spots to blotches and spreading stains.

“Mr. Humphrey had a large lymphoma burden noted on his scans at diagnosis, but what was more concerning was how resistant his disease was to chemotherapy and how quickly it was growing with each relapse,” explained Hess, a physician-scientist who specializes in blood cancers at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. “This leads to enormous challenges when trying to collect a patient’s cells for CAR-T-cell therapy and waiting for them to be manufactured.”

Two rounds of different chemotherapy protocols failed to control the cancer. Failed chemotherapy is a requirement before CAR-T-cell therapy can be offered because it is an intensive therapy with the possibility of serious side effects. The therapy involves removing a patient’s T-cells, engineering them to develop a laser-like focus on a protein found on the surface of the lymphoma cells, and then returning the CAR-T-cells to the patient’s body to do their work.

Marcus, his wife Mary and friends came to the Taste of Hope Charlotte gala where the Humphreys shared their journey and connection to our Charleston Hope Lodge.

Sadly, Mr. Humphrey passed in March, and we are grateful that we had an opportunity to meet him.

Thank you Mary for allowing us to share Marcus’ story.