A Diagnosis
When routine blood work suggested that something might be wrong, a prostate cancer diagnosis was the last thing one Colorado man expected.
“I was kind of shocked,” he recalled. “I didn’t know how the diagnosis was done through this process.”
Randy and his wife live in Amherst, Colorado, a small farming community in the northeastern part of the state. It is where they have built their life and established deep roots. Although the diagnosis brought uncertainty, it also left him grateful that his healthcare providers recognized the concern and helped him begin exploring treatment options.
“I think we got into the earliest part of where we could possibly know that this was part of my health profile,” he said. “I am blessed, and I’m touched, and I’m thankful.”
Learning About Proton Therapy
Before his diagnosis, Randy knew very little about proton therapy—or that a proton treatment center was available in Oklahoma City.
“When I first learned of the Proton Center, I had no idea what was available here,” he said. “I didn’t know that this could be treated in this manner.”
With guidance from his local healthcare providers, he learned about Oklahoma Proton Center and the role proton therapy could potentially play in treating his prostate cancer.
Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation treatment that delivers radiation directly to a tumor while minimizing unnecessary exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
For Randy, pursuing proton therapy meant traveling hundreds of miles from rural Colorado to Oklahoma City and remaining away from home for several weeks.
“Sometimes you have to go somewhere else to get what you need at the moment,” he said.
Finding Support Away From Home
Traveling for cancer treatment can create practical and financial challenges for patients and their families. Not everyone can step away from work, relocate temporarily or absorb the additional costs associated with receiving care far from home.
“Not everybody is retired,” Randy said. “Not everybody may have the resources to endure the expense that’s involved in that kind of travel.”
During treatment, he and his wife stayed at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge. The lodging and supportive environment helped ease some of the strain of being away from their home and community.
“The Hope Lodge has been a wonderful location to provide what we needed,” he said. “We’re thankful for all of that, too.”
Having a comfortable place to stay allowed the couple to focus more fully on treatment while establishing a temporary home in Oklahoma City.
Welcomed Like a Neighbor
Although the technology initially brought him to Oklahoma Proton Center, the people became one of the most memorable parts of his experience.
“I’ve met a wonderful staff that greets me in the morning just like I’m a neighbor,” Randy exclaims.
That sense of familiarity helped make an unfamiliar experience feel more manageable. Each day, he was welcomed by a team that understood that cancer treatment involves more than operating sophisticated equipment. It also requires kindness, communication and personal connection.
At the same time, he became increasingly curious about the science behind his care.
“I’m amazed at the technology that went into that and the inspiration that came from that to develop this technology,” he said.
Despite the complexity of proton therapy, he found the treatment experience itself far less intimidating than he had imagined.
“The treatment process for proton therapy for me was about the equivalent of sitting down on your sofa and taking a nap,” he said. “There was no pain.”
While experiences can vary from patient to patient, Randy’s treatment sessions gave him time to reflect on the technology, the team caring for him and the circumstances that brought him to Oklahoma.
Grateful for the Journey
Leaving home for treatment was a significant commitment for him and his wife. Yet their time in Oklahoma City also gave them a profound sense of gratitude—for the healthcare providers who helped identify the concern, for Hope Lodge, for the staff who welcomed them each morning and for access to another treatment option when they needed it.
“It’s the development of technology in our medical system today that is represented well in this community and with this facility,” he said.
His experience is a reminder that finding the right cancer care may sometimes take patients beyond their hometowns. But even far from home, compassionate people and meaningful support can help them feel less alone.
Could Proton Therapy Be an Option for You?
Proton therapy may be an appropriate treatment option for certain patients with prostate cancer and other diagnoses. Oklahoma Proton Center develops individualized treatment plans designed to precisely target tumors while minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
To learn more or request a consultation, visit OKCProton.com or call 405-773-6700.