I want to share some personal information with you regarding my health.  I was diagnosed in early December with a type of cancer called follicular lymphoma. As my doctors have refined their diagnosis, our sense for what my prospects might be has evolved. As a consequence, those who learned of this early were given a discouraging prognosis, whereas those who were informed later received a much more optimistic  vision. As a result, I thought it might be helpful to all of you if I summarized here how I’m doing and what the future seems to hold. I will update this as news emerges from my treatment.

Follicular lymphoma is a slow-growing, small-cell cancer that historically has been much harder to treat than fast-growing, large-cell cancers, because chemotherapy is most effective on fast-growing cells. On the spectrum between large and small, my particular sub-type is about in the middle. A monoclonal antibody drug from Genentech called Rituxan has greatly improved the prognosis for people with my type of cancer – the five-year survival rate is over 95%. For most patients, follicular lymphoma cannot be cured.  Although it goes into remission, it flares up again and again –  essentially a chronic disease. In my case, however, given the somewhat larger size and growth energy of my cancer cells, the doctors are holding out a significant hope that my cancer can actually be cured. So we feel very optimistic that I’ll be able to live productively for many more years – because of the advance of science and because we feel so greatly blessed by our Father in Heaven and lifted by the faith of so many wonderful friends.

I’m in the midst of chemotherapy, which is administered in six three-week cycles and should be complete in April. In the week following treatment I need to slow down (and I have lost my hair), but otherwise I am able to continue a relatively normal work schedule – which my doctors have encouraged me to do. So I’m continuing with all of my responsibilities at HBS as well as helping Innosight, Rose Park Advisors, Innosight Institute, and other companies use my research to manage more successfully.

This has been a sobering experience, but my wonderful wife, Christine, our five children, and I feel very blessed overall. We are confidently optimistic that all will be well, and are deeply grateful for your support, prayers, and faith.

Clayton Christensen

February 22, 2010: The doctor's have been pleasantly surprised that I have responded to therapy better than they would have imagined.  I have been greatly blessed through the miracle of medical science.  I also attribute doing better to the faith and prayers of family and friends.

May 4, 2010:  I completed my last chemotherapy treatments in early April and met recently with my oncologist to discuss the results of my CT and PET scans.  The news is very good.  The PET scans, which measure the activity of cells in metabolizing glucose, showed absolutely no activity in the tumors.  The doctors' term is "complete response," meaning that the tumors have basically died.  Whether the cancer is in remission or has been cured cannot be known for certain until it does or doesn't recur.

This is truly a miraculous result.  The type of cancer with which I was initially diagnosed is known to be less responsive to chemotherapy.  We are deeply grateful for the miracles of medical science, and the blessings from God that stem in no small measure from the faith and prayers of so many wonderful family and friends.  We thank you for your concern and support.

August 2, 2010: On July 18th, I suffered an ischemic stroke.  I was blessed to be minutes away from Massachusetts General Hospital at the time the stroke occurred, and was able to receive a dose of the clot busting drug TPA less than an hour after onset.  I have not experienced any loss in motor function, memory, or in my ability to reason or calculate.  However, I do show signs of expressive aphasia.  My physicians are very encouraged with the progress I have already made, and continue to make, and we are hopeful for a full and complete recovery within the next several months.  My family and I are touched once again by the faith, prayers and kindness of so many during this time.

October 22, 2010: My recovery from my stroke has continued to progress rapidly.  I have been working closely with a number of speech pathologists, which has been immensely helpful to me, and my aphasia has abated substantially.  Things have improved to the point that I have begun to do speaking engagements again: In September I spoke at Southern Virginia University, and I have subsequently taught classes in HBS' Advanced Management Program, and to alumni groups that have returned to HBS for their reunions.  As I wrote above, my motor skills, memory, and ability to reason or do calculations remain unaffected.  Actually, my motor function has improved since my stroke, as my body has recovered from some of the neuropathy that I experienced as a consequence of my chemotherapy treatments.

I continue to be grateful for the thoughts and prayers that I feel have sustained me and my family, and have helped me recover to the point I have already.  We continue to have every reason to believe that I will make a full and complete recovery, and I am committed to working as hard as I can to get there.

In the midst of this, working together with a devoted and talented team that has had to take on more than they bargained for, we launched the Forum for Growth and Innovation, a group based at HBS that will connect thinkers and practitioners in the field of innovation, with the goal of pushing innovation and growth research in new directions, all while keeping an eye on the practical implications for people running actual companies.  So far more than 500 of our invitees have accepted our invitation, and we couldn't be happier with the result.

December 5, 2011: Things are progressing well as I continue to recover from my stroke about a year and a half ago. I teach two sections of “Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise,” a class I developed here at HBS, and I am a regular speaker in HBS Executive Education programs and private events worldwide.  I have continued to expand the Forum for Growth and Innovation, and we are currently working on and exploring a number of new research projects.

Although my life is mostly back to normal, I often find myself extremely tired and have to take a few moments to refresh with a quick nap.  Your continued support and encouragement especially helps during moments like these. I feel like I have the greatest job in the world and am so blessed to work, interact, and learn with all the wonderful people I meet around the world.