Former W.A.S.P. and current METAL CHURCH drummer Stet Howland has been diagnosed with Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that develops from the B-cells in the lymphatic system. Howland said: "In layman's terms, it's essentially a form of cancer in my blood. And while it is a very aggressive form of cancer, it is also very treatable with an 80% cure rate. In my case, I'm one of the lucky ones whom my doctors are confident of knocking this shit completely out of me! "I have gone from actually feeling like death to feeling fairly strong, all in just under one week of treatment," he continued. "It's been a rigorous and constant IV fusion cocktail that hasn't been exactly fun. But if this is what it takes to get back to my family, and to get back to my routine, I find it well worth it. "We started treatment based on the doctors' initial diagnosis, as they were confident of what they were dealing with. They knew I had a form of lymphoma but the actual details didn't rear their head until yesterday as we had to await test results." Howland added: "I'm once again blown away and thankful for all the positivity, love, and well wishes from family, friends and fans worldwide. I have heard from some people that I never knew if I would ever hear from again. Friends from school and all walks of life have reached out. The outpouring of love has been overwhelming, to say the least. I have been feeling like crap off and on for over a year now wondering why; now we all know. "I will be discharged next week and heading back to Vegas, where I will begin tracking the new METAL CHURCH record with a vigor and thankfulness that I don't know if I've ever felt in my life. "The 2018 METAL CHURCH calendar is already starting to fill up, and I'm going to be out there whooping ass at every single one of them! "I consider myself a very lucky man who has done many great things in my life. I have been blessed to play in several iconic bands in my career. But my current METAL CHURCH gig is the unrivaled pinnacle of it all." Stet was named METAL CHURCH's permanent new drummer in July. He stated at the time that he was "honored to be a member of such a group of people" and vowed to do his "best to deliver strong performances both live and in the studio." Photo credit: Markus Wiedenmann Photography
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