The Rural Cancer Care Stepchild
Aug 12, 2023
I have had the privilege of caring for cancer patients as a radiation oncologist in a rural/non-urban setting[1] for more than 30 years. According to the 2020 Census, 20% of … continue
Trauma or Comfort at End of Life
Jul 08, 2023
Growing up in Midland, Texas, some of my good friends were a brother and sister in a very musical family. One daughter played clarinet in band with me and her … continue
Chemo, Pinot and Advocacy
Jun 10, 2023
I texted a friend of mine recently that I needed an attitude adjustment – that things are stressing me out more than they should. He suggested a glass of Pinot … continue
Life Expectancy in the United States
May 13, 2023
US life expectancy is lower than other developed countries. What is killing us? And why are some areas of the country (including deep East Texas) worse off than others? The … continue
Life Expectancy in the United States
May 13, 2023
US life expectancy is lower than other developed countries. What is killing us? And why are some areas of the country (including deep East Texas) worse off than others? The … continue
Charity: Socialism or Safety Net?
Apr 08, 2023
After last month’s column on wisdom and discernment (and lies), a conservative friend dared me to write about “the dangers of socialism” – “how it is turning the thinking of … continue
Charity: Socialism or Safety Net?
Apr 08, 2023
After last month’s column on wisdom and discernment (and lies), a conservative friend dared me to write about “the dangers of socialism” – “how it is turning the thinking of … continue
Wisdom or Wishful Thinking
Mar 11, 2023
One of the most valued assets in the United States is a good education.[1] It has been the ticket to advancement and success for generations of people, natural born and … continue
From Surviving to Living
Feb 11, 2023
My typical work day is scattered with patient visits. Some are new consultations for consideration of radiation treatment for cancer, other visits are patients under treatment currently, and many are … continue
Love, Happiness, and Health
Jan 14, 2023
New Year’s resolutions are all about positive change. Losing weight, exercising more, and getting organized top typical resolution lists.[1] The unspoken goal of all New Year’s resolutions, as I see … continue
The Gift of Christmas Presence
Dec 10, 2022
As I write, I am sitting at Standpipe Coffee (one of my favorite haunts), latte at hand, enjoying the downtown Lufkin Christmas decorations, the comforting sound of steaming espresso machines, … continue
The Gift of Christmas Presence
Dec 10, 2022
As I write, I am sitting at Standpipe Coffee (one of my favorite haunts), latte at hand, enjoying the downtown Lufkin Christmas decorations, the comforting sound of steaming espresso machines, … continue
Faith and Medicine – a Graceful Dance
Nov 12, 2022
How does your faith affect your approach to healthcare and the sick around you?
Last month, I wrote a column for a special section of the Lufkin Daily News on cancer. … continue
Faith and Medicine – a Graceful Dance
Nov 12, 2022
How does your faith affect your approach to healthcare and the sick around you?
Last month, I wrote a column for a special section of the Lufkin Daily News on cancer. … continue
Ten Steps when Diagnosed with Cancer
Oct 29, 2022
I get curbside consults about cancer all the time. I don’t mind one bit! If someone calls me about a specific cancer diagnosis or questions about a particular treatment, our … continue
What Disease Do You Fear Most?
Oct 08, 2022
When we think of health, the top concerns – if we are talking about death – include heart disease, cancer, COVID-19 (thankfully on the decline), accidents, stroke, and lung diseases.[1] … continue
Medical Billing Odds Are Against You
Sep 10, 2022
I have been a physician for35 years. The vast majority of my practice has been in the non-profit setting, where I have had the privilege of treating patients regardless of … continue
Compassion After Roe v. Wade
Aug 13, 2022
When I write about a contentious subject, it is invariably to educate myself, not to stir up controversy. I may have preconceived ideas about what I think. More often than … continue
Father of the Bride Jitters
Jul 09, 2022
At a time when congressional hearings and Supreme Court rulings are all anyone can talk about – much less the latest COVID-19 surge – I can’t focus on anything but … continue
Do Something... But What?
Jun 11, 2022
I recently consulted with the family of a terminal cancer patient. From a cancer treatment standpoint, there was nothing I or anyone else could offer that would change the unrelenting … continue
The Power of Community
May 14, 2022
I admit, I’ve been somewhat depressed lately. I find myself glued to the news and social media, obsessed with national and international politics and events, unable to understand the level … continue
Barn Raisers and Old Coots
Apr 09, 2022
I love springtime. Early mornings when I walk my two German shepherds – Zeus and Zoë – the air is still crisp and the sun is just starting to creep … continue
Where Does Truth Come From?
Mar 12, 2022
As a physician and Christian, I have been frustrated over the last 2 years with the alarming anti-science response to the pandemic. Two years ago, I shared worst-case predictions of … continue
Scarlet Letters and Healthcare
Feb 12, 2022
When I was in high school in the 1970s, one of our reading assignments was The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.[1] Though subtitled “A Romance”, I doubt any high school … continue
Practicing Grace in 2022
Jan 08, 2022
A year ago, we tried to say goodbye to 2020. We envisioned a relatively quick end to COVID-19. The Holy Grail of 2020 – a vaccine against COVID-19 – was … continue
Health Literacy, a Pandemic, and the Church
Dec 11, 2021
One year ago, a winter wave of COVID-19 cases was starting to surge. The United States had already seen over 250,000 deaths.[1] The hope of a vaccine was just around … continue
The Miracles of Music and Medicine
Nov 13, 2021
I grew up in the Friday Night Lights of West Texas in the 60s and 70s, where sports – especially Midland Lee and Odessa Permian football – were king. A … continue
Happily Ever After
Oct 09, 2021
I love fairy tale endings. I am a sucker for the 1997 television version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella featuring Brandy, Whitney Houston, and the incomparable Bernadette Peters. My daughters … continue
The Deception of Religious Exemptions
Sep 11, 2021
On August 23, the FDA gave full approval to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older.[1] This was supposed to be a time of celebration … continue
Anger in the Time of Coronavirus
Aug 14, 2021
What an emotional roller coaster the last year and a half has been! The pandemic and the election have been a double whammy on our mental health. Religious leaders are … continue
Cognitive Dissonance, Trust, and COVID-19
Jul 10, 2021
Most of us have had our lives disrupted in some way as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As difficult as job loss and economic upheaval have been, it is … continue
Vaccine Passports Are Coming
Jun 12, 2021
Like it or not, vaccination passports are coming.[1] Before we go too far, let’s be clear: the federal government has no plan – and really no ability, at this point … continue
Rosie the Riveter and Dolly Parton
May 08, 2021
The time was the early 1940s. America was at war. The aircraft and munitions industries heavily recruited women to take up important jobs in support of the war effort. In … continue
OpenNotes Mandate: A Box of Chocolates
Apr 10, 2021
Sometimes cans get kicked so far down the road that we forget about them. Such is the case with a 2016 federal Health Information Technology mandate known as the 21st … continue
Vaccine Website Up and Running
Mar 13, 2021
As of Monday, March 8, 2021, the new online COVID vaccine registration portal is up and running at www.etxcovidvaccine.com. A result of the efforts of a volunteer group known as … continue
Bruised Arms and Bruised Egos – They Will Heal
Feb 13, 2021
I have never seen people so grateful to feel flu-like before! Those who have been able to get their COVID-19 vaccinations are happy people. They are proud of their bruised … continue
2020, We Are Giving You the Boot
Jan 09, 2021
Are you as relieved as I that 2020 is over? Like the uninvited guest that overstayed a visit, 2020 deserves to be booted out and have the door slammed shut … continue
All I Want for Christmas
Dec 12, 2020
“All I want for Christmas is a new vaccine…” It has a nice, catchy ring to it, don’t you agree? Though several COVID-19 vaccine successes have been announced, thanks to … continue
Changing our Focus after the Election
Nov 07, 2020
The 2020 election is over. We’ve made our choice for the top of the ticket and any number of other down ballot races. It may be we still don’t know … continue
2020 and Coronavirus Fatigue
Oct 10, 2020
I’m tired. I’m tired of 2020 and COVID-19. 2020 has certainly been full of meme-worthy events, but the pandemic has loomed over them all. I vacillate between exasperation and calling … continue
Will a Coronavirus Vaccine Be the Answer?
Sep 12, 2020
The novel coronavirus has changed our lives. Just about everything we do is affected by mask-wearing and social distancing. The economy has been reeling, although you wouldn’t know it by … continue
Coronavirus Information and Misinformation
Aug 08, 2020
As a physician, I have been fascinated by the rapid acquisition of knowledge about the novel coronavirus and the deadly disease it causes, COVID-19. True, that knowledge may not be … continue
Pandemics and Personal Responsibility
Jul 11, 2020
We have been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for many months now. What an emotional roller coaster ride it has been. Early thoughts of “flattening the curve” have not panned … continue
Trump, Faith, and the Church
Jun 05, 2020
Note: This column was first published as a Letter to the Baptist Standard on June 3, 2020. The Lufkin News posted it on June 4, 2020, and it will appear … continue
Finding a New Normal with Coronavirus
May 09, 2020
We have been self-distancing through the COVID-19 pandemic for a few months now. What a wild ride it has been! Despite the number infected – over 1.25 one million – … continue
What If We Don’t Flatten the COVID-19 Curve?
Apr 12, 2020
On April 5, 2020, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said, “The next week is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment. It’s going to be our 9/11 moment.”[1] The same … continue
End-of-Life Implications of the Coronavirus Pandemic
Mar 26, 2020
We are early in this coronavirus game of social distancing and hand washing. We haven’t quite become weary of it. We joke about it. And yet, I am starting to … continue
DETCOG, Broadband and Health
Mar 08, 2020
Can you hear me now? That phrase, made popular by Verizon Wireless in the early 2000s, epitomizes the frustration of rural America over lack of reliable cell phone coverage. To … continue
An Accurate Census – Our Health Depends on It!
Feb 09, 2020
When I was a skinny, naïve teenager, I worked the summer of 1980 for the US Census Bureau going door to door, pencil in hand, filling out census forms. Or … continue
The Graduation Speech I Would Give
Jan 12, 2020
Facebook and YouTube are full of graduation speeches that go viral and become memes representing personal life views, political stances, or just feel good, philosophical pablum. Usually, speakers invite you … continue
Modifying Your Alzheimer’s Risk
Dec 08, 2019
One of the most feared illnesses today is Alzheimer’s disease. Aloysius Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist, first described the characteristic brain changes and associated dementia more than one hundred … continue
How and Where People Die – Is it Good?
Nov 10, 2019
All of us, at some point, have pondered what it means to have a “good” death. A common theme is to fall asleep in one’s own bed and simply not … continue
Vaping Dangers are Frightening
Oct 13, 2019
Over the last few months, a rapid rise of vaping related acute lung disease has come to light. Both the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates … continue
How to Lose Weight and Improve Health
Sep 08, 2019
Weight loss is always high on most people’s New Year’s resolution list. For something that is desired by so many of us, it is surprising how difficult it is to … continue
A True Community Health Needs Assessment
Aug 11, 2019
The IRS requires charitable hospital organizations to conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) every three years and to adopt an implementation strategy to meet the community health needs identified … continue
Achieving Equitable Cancer Care Access in Texas
Jul 14, 2019
Much is known about what influences the health of a community, including individual health behaviors as well as social and economic determinants of health.[1] Health equity has been defined to … continue
Money, Insurance, and Health: An Unfair Relationship
Jun 09, 2019
Money doesn't buy happiness, or so they say. But money can buy better health. Add one more difference between the haves and the have nots.
There are many determinants … continue
Suicide: More Common than Ever
May 12, 2019
A Rice University classmate and friend of mine – a 57 year old woman and mother of two – committed suicide on Easter Sunday. She was going through a divorce, … continue
Dental Health is Community Health
Apr 14, 2019
We need to return to adding fluoride to our water supply.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that fluoridation of community water supplies is one of the … continue
Continue CPRIT Cancer Research Funding
Mar 10, 2019
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) was created in 2007 when Texas voters supported legislation setting aside $3 billion for cancer research and prevention. Since then, results … continue
We Need Tobacco 21 Legislation Now
Feb 10, 2019
Who knew that candy apple, bubble gum, cherry cola, marshmallow, orange soda, s’mores, chocolate, and taffy were literally so addictive? Every one of those flavors – and thousands more! – … continue
The Financial Burden of Cancer Care
Jan 13, 2019
As a board-certified radiation oncologist, I’m trained to know all about cancer and its physical effects on people. Similarly, as a board-certified hospice and palliative care physician, I am … continue
County Health: Where Do We Begin?
Dec 09, 2018
First, let me say that the title implies that we are not
doing anything for community health, which is certainly not true. The Angelina
County & Cities Health District does amazing work, … continue
A Health Problem We Can’t Ignore
Nov 11, 2018
On Thursday, the Chamber of Commerce hosted the 11th annual
Salute to Healthcare Banquet, where we recognized the importance of the
healthcare sector and its role in the local economy as well … continue
It Started With Kindergarten
Oct 14, 2018
It started with kindergarten graduation. However cute this photo
op may be, it is symptomatic of a much larger problem in our society. We think
– no, we demand – that our … continue
The True Power of Community
Sep 09, 2018
I have been reminded lately how wonderful our community of
Lufkin is! I use the word community intentionally, for Lufkin is more than a
city and more than just voting districts or … continue
There’s Something About a Sabbatical
Aug 12, 2018
As this column is printed, I will be three weeks into a four
week sabbatical. Since I am writing ahead of time, I obviously can’t have
predicted how it is going. I … continue
Fewer Women Need Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
Jul 08, 2018
Less is more. When we find examples of that in medicine, we
celebrate. In oncology – at least in fields like early breast cancer, where
cure rates are high – the goal … continue
New Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines
Jun 10, 2018
In what has been described as a game-changing recommendation, on May 30, 2018,
the American Cancer Society released a new colorectal cancer screening
guideline that recommends most adults start regular screening at … continue
Reflections on the May 5th Election
May 13, 2018
On May 5, 2018, the citizens of Angelina County had the opportunity to participate in what is arguably the bedrock activity of our democracy: a free and fair election. This … continue
Angelina College: 50 Years and Going Strong
Apr 08, 2018
Angelina College opened its doors to students in the fall of 1968, a momentous year in modern history. The Smithsonian called 1968 the Year that Shattered America. North Vietnamese Communists … continue
The Seduction of Technology
Mar 11, 2018
For Christmas, my wife gave me and my daughter an Apple TV
4K. Billed as a device to “watch select shows and movies in stunning 4K HDR,” this
tiny little box-like contraption … continue
The Importance of Spirituality in Healing
Feb 11, 2018
Spirituality has gotten a bad rap. This is understandable,
given the watering down of and movement away from organized religion in the
late 20th century through today. The use of the term … continue
The Anti-Vaccination Movement is Fake – and Dangerous – News
Jan 14, 2018
Most vaccine-preventable diseases of childhood are at or near record lows. Vaccines prevent the deaths of about 2.5 million children worldwide every year. Yet some highly contagious diseases like measles … continue
The Truth about Big Tobacco
Dec 10, 2017
There was some big, big news recently that you probably
haven’t heard. After years of legal wrangling, the tobacco industry has not
only been found guilty of fraud, conspiracy, and racketeering, but … continue
Why I Shout about Being a Cancer Doctor
Nov 12, 2017
A prestigious oncology journal recently published an opinion piece titled, “Why I Keep Quiet about Being a Cancer Doctor.” I was depressed after reading it, because the author self-identified as … continue
Palliative Care: Something We All Want
Oct 08, 2017
As a hospice physician – in addition to my role as a doctor who treats cancer – much of my focus is on comfort care. Part of my motivation to … continue
The Demise of Polite Conversation
Sep 10, 2017
When did the art of pleasant conversation and open dialogue end? Every national new item – it seems – sparks vitriol that demands an alignment in one political camp or … continue
Moving the Needle on Health in Angelina County
Aug 13, 2017
Back in January, I wrote about the abysmal county health rankings in Deep East Texas and the fact that Angelina County has been named the county with the highest obesity … continue
The Crockett Hospital’s Painful Demise
Jul 09, 2017
June 30, 2017 was a sad day for Crockett, Texas, our neighbor just 47 miles to the west. Little River Healthcare ended its management affiliation with the Houston County Hospital … continue
A Truly Community-Wide Cancer Program
Jun 11, 2017
Every three months or so, I chair a meeting at CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial in Lufkin of the Cancer Committee. As an accredited cancer program through the American College … continue
What I Learned in Medical School That Was Wrong
May 14, 2017
I recently attended my 30th medical school reunion at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. It was a grand time of reminiscing and reconnecting with war buddies from the trenches … continue
The Grass is Greener in Lufkin!
Apr 09, 2017
Sometimes our medical community gets a bad rap. In any community, there can be a tendency to think the grass is always greener somewhere else. This is true whether we … continue
What I Would Like to See in Healthcare Reform (Part 2)
Mar 12, 2017
Last month, I wrote about the bloated, incredibly inefficient federal bureaucracy that eats up hundreds of billions of dollars annually in administrative costs. I mentioned that Obamacare was not, in … continue
Support Raising the Smoking Age to 21
Feb 27, 2017
The 85th Texas Legislative Session is in full swing. On Wednesday, February 15, a bill was filed in the House by Representative (and physician) John Zerwas (R) to raise the … continue
What I Would Like to See in Healthcare Reform (Part 1)
Feb 12, 2017
I often tell people that if all I had to do was take care of patients, life would be grand. It is the countless hours of dealing with the administrative … continue
Resolve to Improve the Health of our Region
Jan 03, 2017
January is a time of resolution, and often our New Year resolutions focus on diet and exercise. My friends, we need a city, county, and region resolution to lose weight!
In … continue
Add HPV Vaccination to Your Kids' Christmas List
Dec 06, 2016
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) refers to itself as the nation's health protection agency. Among other things, they monitor infectious disease outbreaks (such as Zika, influenza or … continue
History and Medicine in Angelina County
Nov 01, 2016
I recently came into possession of Angelina County Medical Society meeting minutes dating back 80 years, from 1936 to 1954. These archives were kept by Dr. W. D. Thames. A … continue
Empowered – and Inundated – by Pink
Oct 04, 2016
There is a minor malady that comes around every season. It is characterized by a drop in energy, glazed eyes, and a strong desire just to sit and do nothing. … continue
Prostate Cancer Screening Saves Lives
Sep 06, 2016
Over the last 30 years, I have been witness to a remarkable change in how we diagnose and treat prostate cancer. Prior to the mid-1980s, prostate cancer was detected most … continue
Colorectal Cancer Screening: 80% by 2018
Aug 02, 2016
Katie Couric has raised awareness of colorectal cancer ever since her husband died of the disease in 1998. Yet colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death in … continue
The Significance of an Ethical Foundation
Jul 05, 2016
Last month, I wrote about the role of the hospital Ethics Committee and commented that open and honest communication between healthcare professionals, patients and family solves most ethical dilemmas. That … continue
The Role of the Hospital Ethics Committee
Jun 07, 2016
For most of my 25 years in medical practice, I have been involved in hospital ethics committees. You may not know that ethics committees exist, or that there are ethics … continue
Lung Cancer Screening Saves Lives
May 03, 2016
For more than 50 years now, we have known the dangers of smoking. That smoking causes heart disease, emphysema, and lung and other cancers is not in dispute. For fifty … continue
Let's Not Get Trumped
Apr 05, 2016
I am ashamed. I wrote that phrase recently on a Facebook post of two Finnish friends who are looking across the ocean with a combination of disgust and disbelief at … continue
Cancer Brings Out a Range of Emotions
Mar 01, 2016
I hate cancer.
Hate is a bad word, I know. My mother always got on to me when I said I hated something or someone. We raise our children not … continue
Doctors Must Reinstill Sense of Duty
Feb 02, 2016
This article was originally published at Houston Chronicle http://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Doctors-must-reinstill-sense-of-duty-6733668.php?t=d4a64f80cb&cmpid=email-premium and is reprinted here with permission from the author (me).
I am a physician. Being a doctor defines me. Whether I am … continue
Social Media Diet for the New Year
Jan 05, 2016
I have resolved to start a new diet this year. Not the typical food diet, mind you – there is certainly nothing wrong with that. I am going on a … continue
Feeding the Hungry this Holiday Season
Dec 01, 2015
Our series of articles titled Business is Everyone’s Business has focused so far on various employers, both large and small, and their economic or employment impact in the region. In … continue
PineCrest has Far-reaching Economic Impact
Nov 03, 2015
Mayor Bob Brown, City Manager Keith Wright, Chamber CEO Jim Johnson and other local government and business leaders recently launched a series titled Business is Everyone’s Business. The purpose of … continue
Cattle Baron's Gala Supports Local Cancer Patients
Oct 06, 2015
I always look forward to the Pineywoods Cattle Baron's Gala. Not only do I have a good time, I know the money raised is going to a great cause - … continue
Jimmy Carter's Cancer Revelation
Sep 01, 2015
When a current or former President of the United States has a major health problem, it is international news. And when a former president has cancer, we all take in … continue
A New Generation of Leaders
Aug 04, 2015
A new generation of leadership is emerging in Lufkin.
For those of us who have volunteered for various organizations over the years, there has been a hunger to see young adults … continue
Doctors Are From Another Planet
Jul 07, 2015
Jupiter and Venus aligned recently in what was called a Bethlehem Star event. The next time the two planets appear this close together will be in 2023. The rarity of … continue
Doing the Right Thing, One Day at a Time
Jun 02, 2015
As I write this column, it is Saturday morning of Memorial Day weekend. I have been at my office several hours working on patient charts and mapping out cancer treatment … continue
A New Era of Cancer Survivorship
May 05, 2015
We are surviving cancer in greater numbers than ever!
The American Medical Association's new oncology journal, JAMA Oncology, presented encouraging statistics in their inaugural issue on how many of us survive … continue
New Cancer Fighting Technology in Lufkin
Apr 07, 2015
Last week, the Temple Cancer Center treated the first patients on our new Elekta Synergy linear accelerator, the first major investment of Memorial since the CHI acquisition. To say, "We … continue
A Spoonful of Sugar
Mar 02, 2015
I don't think I'm unique in having a family that discusses medical issues at the dinner table. But in a family with a doctor, sometimes discussions – to the dismay … continue
Cancer is a Global Problem
Feb 03, 2015
Tomorrow is World Cancer Day. We think we have a cancer problem in the US, and we do. But other countries, especially the poorer ones, are truly suffering. Two publications … continue
Recognizing Stages of Grief
Jan 06, 2015
My father recently passed away from pancreatic cancer at age 81. What a devastating disease! He lasted a mere two months. Thanks to attentive physicians and great hospice care, he … continue
Living Between the Dates
Dec 02, 2014
As a cancer physician, reading obituaries is, unfortunately, part of my job description. I don't mean to be morbid about it. Not everyone who gets cancer dies from it - … continue
Tips for Success in Any Office Environment
Nov 04, 2014
My wife, Catherine, starting working for St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church as Parish Administrator about four and a half years ago. We were close to empty nesting at the time, and … continue
One Teacher's Story of Cancer and Community Support
Oct 07, 2014
I have had the privilege over the last few months of speaking at Lions and Rotary Club lunches about cancer and the work of the American Cancer Society. My tag … continue
Being There for Those Who Suffer
Sep 02, 2014
Two articles appeared recently in major newspapers discussing how we can be more helpful to those who are suffering. The New York Times article by David Brooks (The Art of … continue
My Bar Code Diet
Aug 05, 2014
In December 2013, I wrote a column about my brother's heart attack and my wakeup call to lose weight. I promised to report back on my progress. I just didn't … continue
Prostate Cancer: How Should We Treat It?
Jul 01, 2014
Prostate cancer screening and treatment may be the most divisive issue in oncology today. Oh, we argue about breast cancer, and whether or not women in their 40s should get … continue
Memorial and Catholic Health Initiatives
Jun 03, 2014
In my January column, I wrote that we have an ongoing obligation to provide non-profit care locally so that Memorial’s mission of compassion, established in 1949 by our community forefathers, … continue
The Profession of Medicine
May 06, 2014
Physicians today rarely encourage students to consider becoming a doctor. There are quicker ways to start earning a good living. (Petroleum Engineering and Investment Banking come to mind.) But beyond … continue
What’s Coming in Healthcare Reform in 2014?
Apr 02, 2014
My middle daughter is a graduate student in opera at Eastman School of Music. After October 1, if I go to hear her sing in an opera and get injured … continue
Winning the War on Cancer
Mar 04, 2014
“I have cancer.” What is your first reaction when someone tells you that? Not the same as when you hear, “I have diabetes,” or, “I high blood pressure.” Something about … continue
A New Paradigm of Volunteerism
Feb 04, 2014
Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at the annual Chamber banquet as outgoing Chair. This was my charge to the 700-plus in attendance, and my hope for Lufkin … continue
What a Hospital Should Be
Jan 07, 2014
Healthcare reform may be the most polarizing issue today. Depending on your point of view, you are either eagerly anticipating or just dreading the changes that are happening. Either way, … continue
Heart Disease Prevention for the Holidays
Dec 03, 2013
My brother just had a heart attack. He had classic chest pain and immediately went to the ER. Before he could sneeze, he was transferred from his small town to … continue
Giving Thanks!
Nov 05, 2013
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but why wait! I want to send a big thank you to Debbie Jackson, my hardworking co-chair for local enrollment for the American Cancer … continue
Choosing Wisely
Oct 02, 2013
My specialty society, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO for short) is a participant of Choosing Wisely®, an effort to support and engage physicians in being better stewards of … continue
Your Role in Cancer Prevention
Sep 03, 2013
Cancer. Got your attention now? I live and breathe cancer. It's my job. Who knows, I may die with cancer. But my odds are improved because of some choices that … continue
Shop Local, Get Well Local
Aug 06, 2013
I have the privilege this year of serving as Chairman of the Board for the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber, along with the City of Lufkin and the … continue
A Texan, West or East?
Jul 02, 2013
I am a 4th generation Texan, born in Abileneand raised in Midland. Moving away from West Texas wasn't easy for many reasons, but mainly because I didn't want to take … continue
