The Cancer Project

With a background in investment banking, Hadley Ford had never heard of proton therapy prior to meeting nuclear physicist Dr. John Cameron. Dr. Cameron was a true pioneer in making proton therapy more accessible to the United States as a groundbreaking cancer treatment. Hadley and Dr. Cameron joined forces, making their commitment and company official over breakfast with a napkin with one primary...

In this special episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, Dr. Mark Storey rejoins colleague David Raubach to reflect on his seven years at Oklahoma Proton Center and the next chapter of his career. Dr. Storey joined OPC in 2019 with a clear mission: to advance proton therapy while improving both patient outcomes and the overall patient experience in radiation oncology. As he begins this new season of...

Medical Director of Tennessee Oncology Proton Therapy Center, Dr. Jim Gray, has spent decades at the forefront of radiation oncology. In this episode, he reflects on the remarkable evolution of cancer treatment throughout his career—from the days of manually contouring treatment plans in medical school to today’s highly advanced technologies that allow for unprecedented precision. Having witnessed...

On this informative episode of The Cancer Project, host David Raubach sits down with longtime industry colleague and friend Marc Mlyn, President of U.S. Operations at RaySearch Laboratories. Drawing on decades of experience in radiation oncology, Marc has a unique ability to translate complex technologies and clinical concepts into understandable, real-world insights. In their conversation, David...

This week, The Cancer Project Podcast is joined by two-time cancer survivor Morgan Aquino. In the fall of 2024, Morgan’s husband insisted she go to the hospital after she began experiencing severe abdominal pain. Doctors quickly discovered a ruptured ovarian cyst and, during the evaluation, found a mass on her kidney. As a wife and mother of two, Morgan shares her mindset as she navigated an unexp...

In the second episode of our special two-part series, Dr. Shannon MacDonald rejoins host David Raubach to discuss the RADCOMP trial — the first randomized study comparing proton therapy and traditional photon radiation for breast cancer. With more than 1,200 patients enrolled, the phase III Radiotherapy Comparative Effectiveness (RADCOMP) trial is also the largest study to date directly comparing...

After COVID-19 changed protocols for all day-to-day life, medicine was no exception. In every effort to stop and slow the spread of COVID-19, many medical appointments previously in person turned into virtual visits. This was seen in medicine, school, and life in general. During this period, doctors such as Shannon found one silver lining: patients did not have to travel while undergoing great phy...

Country music singer songwriter Johnny Woods has a beautiful talent for expressing himself through music. Beginning his career in 2020, Johnny released his first single to radio titled, “Hurricane” and landed at #43 on the Texas country music charts. He quickly began paving his own path in the country music scene, releasing his first EP and began touring. Just as things continued to fall into plac...

The Cancer Project Podcast is joined this week by Breast Surgeon Dr. Stephanie Taylor. In this informative episode, Dr. Taylor answers many frequently asked questions surrounding breast cancer such as: What are the types of breast cancer? How is staging determined? What are standard treatments for breast cancer? What is the difference between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy? My family has a history...

Sixth degree black belt Melinda Wilson is no stranger to dedication and perseverance. Her extensive training in martial arts goes back decades, and her love of the sport continues today as an instructor and studio owner. In February of 2022, Melinda was diagnosed with breast cancer. In this episode, she shares her journey of being diagnosed, receiving treatment, and the strong community of women s...

The phrase “Breaking Bad” has southern roots and is used to indicate a person has suddenly become reckless, acting out and shifting to immoral character. Today, it is commonly known as the hit tv show about an overqualified high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Walter White turns to a life of crime, cooking meth as a last-will effort to provide for his family...

When Lauren Whitaker went to her follow-up appointment for what was believed to be a cyst, she had minimal reason for concern. Before leaving the appointment she would be calling her mom to help pick up her two kids from school because she needed a biopsy after the initial ultrasound indicated breast cancer. In this episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, Lauren courageously shares her breast cance...

In this educational episode of The Cancer Project, we are joined by Niek Schreuder, the Chief Scientific Officer of LEO Cancer Care. Niek received a masters in medical physics from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa before coming to the United States pursuing proton radiation advancement. Niek joins host David Raubach, their professional relationship dating back over a decade working in...

Former Oklahoma Proton Center patient David Bush joins the Cancer Project Podcast for a candid conversation about his prostate cancer journey. After being diagnosed in December 2023, David and his wife Melody found themselves asking what options they had for treatment.  After a quick internet search, David found the Oklahoma Proton Center and sought out answers on if he would be a good candidate f...

In this episode of perseverance and faith, Caitlin Tharp shares her family’s journey after her father’s sudden glioblastoma diagnosis. In this vulnerable episode, Caitlin details the six month period from the day of diagnosis to her father’s passing. Glioblastoma is a malignant brain tumor, characterized by its rare and aggressive nature, Caitlin outlines her dad’s treatment, her fond memories of...

Cancer advocate and TV personality Britney Haynes rejoins The Cancer Project Podcast in wake of the tragic passing of James Van Der Beek. American actor James Van Der Beek was known for his roles in “Dawson’s Creek” and “Varsity Blues”. James was only one year within screening guidelines when a change in his bowl movements prompted him to get screened. While primarily private about his cancer jour...

After years of experiencing and hearing the same question: How do I help my loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer? Ovarian cancer survivor and seven-time Olympic medalist Shannon Miller, utilized her personal experience to create a new patient-driven resource in cancer support. Last Summer, Shannon began work on SaltoHealth.com , a free resource that allows cancer patients or their loved on...

On this episode of The Cancer Project, David Raubach sits down with Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar for a powerful conversation that goes beyond basketball. From covering one of the NBA’s most exciting teams to witnessing a championship culture up close, Brandon shares what it is really like behind the scenes with the Thunder organization. But this episode takes a deeper turn as B...

On this episode of The Cancer Project, David Raubach sits down with Rahul Mahadevan, founder and CEO of We’re in This Together (WiTT), a platform helping cancer patients receive financial and emotional support during treatment. Rahul shares his own stage four prostate cancer diagnosis, the life-changing question that led to its discovery and the difficult treatment decisions that followed. Rahul a...

Lindsay Clark was only thirty-three years old when she felt a lump that would change her life. Within weeks, she was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer that had already spread to her bones and liver. What followed was a whirlwind of biopsies, scans and chemotherapy as she began the fight for her life. In this conversation with David Raubach, Lindsay shares what it was really like t...

Tarah Green is the founder and executive director of Tenaciously Teal, an organization sending care packs to people fighting cancer across Oklahoma and nationwide. In this episode, David Raubach sits down with Tarah to talk about her journey from a stage four ovarian cancer diagnosis to building a movement of care and support for patients facing treatment. To support Tenaciously Teal, learn about...

David Raubach sits down with Rachel Stratton, Associate Director of the American Cancer Society (ACS). Rachel breaks down what ACS actually does in Oklahoma and why Hope Lodge is one of the most practical resources for patients who travel for treatment. She explains how Hope Lodge runs like a hotel but functions like a community, offering free lodging that can save families thousands during weeks...

Jennifer Watkins serves as the Chronic Disease Coordinator for the Oklahoma State Department of Health. She works with the Oklahoma Comprehensive Cancer Network to improve prevention, screening, survivorship, and access to care across the state. The discussion dives into the realities many families face, including financial toxicity during treatment, the emotional toll on patients and caregivers,...

David Raubach sits down with Jillian Plochocki, Executive Director of the Proton Collaborative Group. Jillian explains how the world’s largest proton therapy registry was built and why real-world data from more than 40,000 patients is critical to improving cancer treatment outcomes. The conversation explores the difference between registries and clinical trials, how proton centers across the Unite...

The discussion covers the history of the Oklahoma Proton Center from opening in 2009 as one of the first proton centers in the country, to treating more than 6,000 patients from all 50 states and multiple countries. You will learn what proton therapy is, how it works, and why its ability to stop radiation directly inside the tumor allows doctors to reduce exposure to healthy tissue and critical or...