Chancellor Dan Jones speaks during the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College Spring Convocation last February.
After four months of battling lymphoma, University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones’s condition appears to be improving. His most recent positron emission tomography, or PET, scan shows no evidence of cancerous activity.
“I’m very grateful,” Jones said in a telephone interview with The Daily Mississippian on Wednesday. “It is a very optimistic situation that I’m in.
Before Jones began chemotherapy, his initial PET scan showed a widespread presence of lymphoma in his abdomen and bone marrow. He received the encouraging news that the cancerous masses had absolved about a month ago after his third round of chemotherapy treatment.
The chancellor has one month of treatment remaining. His goal is to return to campus by mid- to late-March.
“When I first get back, I’ll probably have some limitations. You know, I got a new haircut that we’ll all have to get used to,” he said with a laugh. “It will take me a little bit of time to regain my strength to return to my full schedule.”
Jones said being diagnosed with cancer has been a life changing, yet humbling experience. He credits the uplifting letters he has received from colleagues and students as a crucial part of his healing process.
“With every challenge in life comes some positives,” he said. “This has provided an unusual opportunity for me to understand how many people care about me, how many friends I have and how much support and encouragement and prayers have been offered on my behalf. It’s humbling to go through that experience.”
