Albany Tech president battling lymphoma

ALBANY — Albany Technical College President Anthony Parker confirmed Wednesday that he will undergo treatment for a reoccurrence of lymphoma.

“I feel fine right now. In fact, I played golf yesterday,” Parker, who has been president at ATC for the past 16 years, said. “But this is a reoccurrence of the same thing I had in 2005 that was treated well.”

Parker, 59, said he is currently preparing for stem cell transplant surgery, which he said will take place at Emory Medical Center in Atlanta within the next nine weeks.

According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, a stem cell transplant is the infusion of healthy stem cells into a body. A stem cell transplant, the site says, can help the body make more healthy white and red blood cells and platelets, and reduce the risk of life-threatening infections, anemia and bleeding.

Parker wrote a letter to ATC Students and staff on Tuesday explaining that he would be adjusting his schedule over the next several months.

In his letter, Parker wrote: “Some of you may have heard that I will be away from campus a little more than usual over the next few months. Fortunately, Ms. Pam Hegler (VP of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management) has agreed to represent the President’s office when I am not available. Ms. Heglar enjoys my confidence, as well as (Georgia Technical College) Commissioner (Ron) Jackson and the Albany Tech senior staff. Please give her all the support that you would give to me.

Parker said he would be at Albany Tech “as often as possible during the next three months” and hopes to return to full-time work by Sept. 1. “In the meantime,” he wrote, “I solicit your thoughts and prayers.”