The Hope and West Michigan communities are rallying around former Hope College basketball player Chris VanderSlice ('99), who is undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Ann Arbor.
The 37-year-old principal at Grandville High School learned of his diagnosis earlier this month. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow that is most common among children, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Photo, at right, courtesy of VanderSlice family
Hope men's basketball coach Matt Neil said he spoke with VanderSlice on Monday.
"His spirits are up, and he's ready to take on this challenge," Neil said. "He thanks all of the Hope community for their prayers and support during this time."
Neil said cards should be sent to:
Chris VanderSlice
8A UH Room 8103
1500 E. Medical Center Dr.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5110
VanderSlice co-captained the men's basketball team during the 1998-99 season. He was a member of the 1997-98 team that finished national runner-up in NCAA Division III.
VanderSlice became Grandville's high school principal on July 1, 2013. He served as assistant high school principal for four years before that.
Click here to read MLive's story about VanderSlice.
VanderSlice is undergoing a four-week treatment program that includes a "very intenstive" 10-day chemotherapy treatment beginning today, MLive reported.
"It's scary, but for me, I turned to my faith," Vanderslice told MLive.com from the University of Michigan Hospital. "I turned this into getting ready to fight this battle and I'm taking it on because there is no other choice."
Grandville School Board President Barb Palmer told MLive.com she holds VanderSlice in high regard and said he is well-liked by his peers.
"We're saying our prayers and feel lucky that he's young and healthy and we know that he can beat this thing, this cancer," Palmer told MLive. "We're behind him all the way."
VanderSlice and his wife, Tonya, have two daughters — Hannah, 16, and Elizabeth, 11. Family members are caring for the daughters in Grandville for Chris and Tonya are in An Arbor.
