Help Support Mr. Collins

This page was created to support Peter Collins on his treatment journey. Mr. Collins has battled Hodgkin's Lymphoma since 2011. He must step away from teaching at Bishop England High School to receive the latest experimental treatment. The treatment has an upfront cost of $150,000; Peter is responsible for 50% of this cost, which must be paid before beginning the treatment. Always a teacher, Mr. Collins sent the following letter to the parents about his departure. He approached this challenge as a learning experience for the students.

Mr. Collins' letter to parents...

Dear Parents, Students, and Guardians,

I want to share some information on health issues I have been battling for a long time. I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, and have been on various treatments since 2011. I have been in remission two times in the past twelve years, but the disease consistently reoccurs. I am currently on a PD-1 Inhibitor called Opdivo for treatment. I have been on the current drug off and on for the past six years. Opdivo kept my disease stable until the past few months. I have started to look at possible options and treatment methods in a clinical trial setting.

I am on a waitlist for clinical trials using a new treatment method called Car-T at UNC. My specialist at Miami University, Sloan-Kettering, UNC, and Charleston advised that this is an excellent next step. I am well cared for and have the best doctors in the world watching over my case. I have left no rock unturned. I have multiple options, and Car-T is a possible cure, and I have plenty of options that will keep me stable, again.

Due to my needing to live around the hospital campus during treatment and gain weight and get healthier before I participate in therapy, my last day on campus will be February 28th. As soon as insurance is approved, I will start prepping for the trial with UNC, as it is a three-four-month process from collecting cells to when I would receive them back. Students will be in the skillful hands of teachers and admin at BEHS.

Please understand that this is a tough decision as I have been a teacher for nearly twelve years, but I am not as young as I once was to handle treatments and the stress on the body that comes along with them. I feel optimistic about my future and always have been in high hopes and a positive state of mind. I would appreciate your prayers for my family and medical staff. I will have a thorough conversation with students and have a chance to ask questions about anything. I will explain my upcoming treatment and how it works from a biology perspective. I will be visiting and participating around campus from time to time.

Thank you for trusting me with your kids, and I plan to return to Bishop England, when I can.