Dentist in Salinas runs a fundraising campaign to spread awareness on blood cancer.

Normally Dr. Christopher Mule dedicates his time cleaning teeth and prioritizing people's oral health.

But since March 27, the dentist has also been running a fundraising campaign through the Blood Cancer United organization, formerly known as Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, as a nominated candidate for its 10-week “Visionaries of the Year” fundraiser in a goal to raise $97,000.

Every year, Blood Cancer United, the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting blood cancer, conducts a campaign and nominates at least eight to 10 community members for many regions throughout the United States, to participate in their fundraiser.

Mule’s campaign is one of eight within Monterey County that collectively as a team are called “Monterey Bay.” The fundraiser ends June 6 and each of the eight individuals are competing to see who raises the most money.

The individual who raises the most funds during the 10-week campaign is awarded the title of “Visionary of the Year” in their community. Collectively, Monterey Bay hopes to raise $500,000.

Last summer, Mule was nominated for this fundraiser by Blood Cancer United board member John Romley. He made that decision after hearing the story of Mule’s son.

Anthony Mule, 19, was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in April 2024 when he was a junior at Salinas High School. Initially, Mule and his wife Kerri believed their son had the flu or coronavirus after he had fevers and temperature chills for a few months.

They eventually decided to take him to Salinas Valley Health where doctors diagnosed him with cancer.

“When I was first [diagnosed] I had no idea what [Stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma] was so I honestly thought I was gonna die,” Anthony Mule says. “I found out a little bit later that it was actually treatable. It was depressing for sure but it was only five months so I knew it could've been way worse.”

Since Anthony played volleyball and had strong physical strength, his body could tolerate a bit more, yet it wasn't enough. From Salinas Valley Health, Anthony was transferred to Stanford to receive chemotherapy for five months.

“During [the time of chemotherapy] I was listening to a lot of Little Tecca, his music was just very calming, very soothing for me,” Anthony says. Lil Tecca is an American rapper from New York.

At one point the chemotherapy caused bone necrosis in his hip which prompted his doctors to claim he might never be able to play volleyball again. But he proved doctors wrong— by the fourth month of treatment Anthony was practicing volleyball.

“While [Anthony] was sick, my stepfather was sick too. So we thought they could have the same [disease], and he ended up being diagnosed with lung cancer right around the same time, so we were kind of dealing with both,” Kerri Mule says.

The steroids Anthony was taking caused him to gain 40 pounds, but once he finished chemotherapy he underwent an additional three-and-a-half weeks of radiation where he continued to play volleyball. Eventually he played on a competitive volleyball team for Bay to Bay in the fall of 2024, and also in his high school volleyball team in the spring of 2025.

Anthony was honored with an award named after him by his high school league: the Anthony Mule PCAL Boys Volleyball Inspirational Award in June of 2025.

“Literally two days after [Anthony] completed his final cancer treatment, my biological father was diagnosed with a more aggressive form of lymphoma, and he actually passed away from his cancer four months later, so we have a lot of whys to do this campaign,” Kerri says.

Anthony recently finished his first year at Kansas Wesleyan University where he is studying business management and plays for the school’s volleyball team through a scholarship he was offered during chemotherapy.

“Right now, I would say I listen to more energetic rap music, probably a little bit more like Playboi Carti or Ken Carson before a game, just to kind of hype me,” Anthony says.

He has been in remission for about a year-and-a-half and has scans and blood work every three months.

Christopher Mule’s campaign name is “97 strong” which is the inspiration for the total amount of money he is trying to raise of $97,000.

“The girls here at my office call Mule 97 because [Anthony] scored a 97 on a CPR test, which was the highest in our office and then if you added his travel volleyball number, which was 93 and his high school volleyball number, which was four, they added up to 97,” Mule says.

On June 5, AquaBlue Skin and Body Spa in downtown Salinas will donate a percentage of their proceeds back to Blood Cancer United.

Christopher Mule’s office at 130 E. Romie Ln. in Salinas is raffling off a basket with some wine and goodies.

To donate or read more about Anthony's story, visit pages.lls.org/voy/mry/mont26/cmuled.