From Rock Stages to Radiation Rooms
How One Man Found Healing, Faith, and Family at CHRISTUS Health
At 65, Rick never expected life to take him from the roar of rock concerts to the quiet hum of a radiation machine.
A lifelong musician who once played alongside legends like Charlie Daniels, Rick’s life had always been defined by rhythm, stage lights, and the joy of music.
But in 2023, a routine check-up revealed a different kind of stage, stage 3 prostate cancer.
A Shocking Diagnosis
It started with a simple blood test. Rick’s PSA, known as prostate-specific antigen, levels were higher than normal—14, then rapidly climbing to 26.5.
His urologist immediately recommended surgery. By January 2024, Rick underwent robotic prostatectomy.
The procedure was successful, but follow-up tests revealed the cancer had penetrated beyond the prostate walls, still hiding in nerves and tissue.
“I knew then we had to move fast,” Rick said. “Cancer isn’t something you wait around on.”
Finding a Place of Hope
Rick was referred to CHRISTUS Health in Texarkana, where he met Charles Matthews, MD, radiation oncology.
From the very first conversation, Rick said he felt something different.
“Dr. Matthews had everything ready—the scans, reports, every detail of my case. I didn’t have to explain or chase down records. He looked me in the eye and said, ‘We can work with this.’ That gave me hope.”
But it wasn’t just the medical expertise that struck Rick. It was the compassion. Staff members like Brea, who handled his records transfer immediately, and Kyann, who welcomed him every day with kindness, made the center feel less like a clinic and more like home.
“They don't just treat your cancer," Rick said. "They treat you all the way around, spiritually and lovingly and professionally."
4,000 Miles and 40 Days of Healing
For two months, Rick drove 50 miles from Arkansas and to Texarkana and back. He drove 4,000 miles in total to receive his 39 rounds of radiation. Traffic delays, long days, even toothaches didn’t stop him from showing up.
“They told me, ‘Don’t miss a day. We’re targeting this cancer.’ So I didn’t. I drove myself most days, sometimes friends would come along. I even brought donuts to the staff because they felt like family.”
During treatments, worship music played through the speakers, and Rick often found himself praying with other patients. He wasn’t just receiving healing—he was sharing it.
“I’d tell the new guys, ‘It’s a piece of cake. Fifteen minutes, you’ll be fine. They’ll take care of you.’ And you could see the fear lift off their faces.”
Music as Medicine
Music has always been Rick’s gift, and at CHRISTUS, it became part of his healing. After finishing treatment, he brought his guitar and set up in the lobby, filling the center with gospel songs and hope.
“Out of all the shows I’ve ever played—arenas, festivals, honky-tonks—playing worship music at the cancer center was the most important stage of my life. God opened that door, and it was perfect.”
He sang songs of faith and encouragement while patients waited for chemo or radiation. Families stopped to listen. Some prayed with him. For many, his music was the light they needed in a dark season.
A New Song of Life
Today, Rick’s PSA levels are undetectable—a miracle he attributes to both modern medicine and God’s healing hand.
“I believe Jesus healed me, and He used CHRISTUS to do it. They cared for me medically, emotionally, spiritually, financially—every way possible. That place is a little piece of paradise in Texarkana.”
Now, Rick continues to return, not for treatment, but to encourage others walking the same path. With his guitar in hand and his faith unshaken, he is spreading the same love and hope he received.
“When you’re fighting cancer, you need more than doctors—you need compassion, you need faith, you need family. That’s what CHRISTUS gave me.”
