Richard “Rick” Miller has always been happiest surrounded by the people he loves.

Whether he’s teaching his grandchildren how to fish, taking family out on the pontoon boat, adding to his train collection, or simply spending time with his wife of 41 years, Rick treasures life’s everyday moments.

“They’re what keeps me going,” he said. “You want to be there for birthdays, graduations, family get-togethers. You want to watch your grandbabies grow up.”

That desire to keep making memories became even more important after an unexpected cancer diagnosis changed everything.

More than a decade after undergoing surgery for kidney cancer, Rick believed that chapter of his life was behind him.

Then came persistent urinary tract infections and severe back pain. During testing to determine the cause, physicians discovered something unexpected.

The cancer had returned – this time as metastatic renal cell carcinoma in his pancreas.

Hearing the word “cancer” again was overwhelming.

Rick began treatment under the care of Joanna Kolodney, MD, Department of Medical Oncology, receiving immunotherapy and targeted therapy while being closely monitored by his multidisciplinary care team at the WVU Cancer Institute.

“When Dr. Kolodney started explaining the treatment plan, I just went numb,” Rick recalled. “I don’t remember much of what she said. Afterward, I had to ask my wife if she understood everything because I couldn’t take it all in.”

His wife never left his side. Along with the support of his daughters, grandchildren, church family, and faith, she helped him navigate every appointment, treatment, and difficult decision that followed.

“If not for her, it would’ve been a totally different story,” Rick said.

When Rick developed a treatment-related rash, his physicians acted quickly to manage the side effect so he could continue therapy safely.

“They took care of me every step of the way,” he said.

Eventually, Rick met surgical oncologist Brian Boone, MD, Division Chief of Surgical Oncology in the WVU School of Medicine Department of Surgery, to discuss the next phase of treatment.

One option was a Whipple procedure, a major operation with a lengthy recovery. But Dr. Boone also discussed another possibility – an innovative, minimally invasive procedure that had never before been performed in the United States.

Rather than recommending the more invasive surgery, Dr. Boone believed Rick was an ideal candidate for the new approach.

“When I asked Dr. Boone what he would choose, he actually recommended the new procedure,” Rick said. “That gave me confidence because he explained everything so thoroughly. He made sure I understood all of my options.”

Rick was referred to Shailendra Singh, MD, Director of Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy, who explained the new endoscopic ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (EUS-MWA) procedure in detail.

Unlike traditional surgery, the minimally invasive procedure uses endoscopic ultrasound to precisely locate the tumor and deliver microwave energy that destroys cancer cells without surgical incisions. Patients typically return home the same day.

“I had never heard of it before,” Rick said. “But Dr. Singh explained every step right before the procedure. He was knowledgeable, personable, and really eased my fears.”

At the time, Rick knew the treatment was new.

What he didn’t know was just how groundbreaking it was. He became the first person in the U.S. to receive this innovative procedure to treat his lesion.

Instead of focusing on being first, Rick focused on something else.

“I wasn’t scared because it was new,” he said. “I was grateful that this option existed and that it happened in my lifetime. If my experience can help someone else someday, that’s wonderful.”

For Rick, the procedure wasn’t about taking a chance. It was about having another one.

The procedure lasted about an hour, and when Rick woke up, he wondered whether anything had happened at all.

“I felt so good that I remember thinking, ‘Did they even do the procedure?'” he said.

Aside from some mild pain and nausea that was quickly controlled with medication, he returned home the same day and recovered much faster than he had expected.

“When Dr. Singh came in afterward with a big smile on his face, I knew it had gone well,” Rick said. “That was such a comforting feeling.”

Follow-up treatments and imaging continued to bring encouraging news.

Nearly a year after the procedure, Rick has had three PET scans showing no evidence of active disease.

Rick speaks just as passionately about the people who cared for him as he does about the treatment itself.

He credits Drs. Singh, Boone, Kolodney, physician assistant Heidi LaRue, MSN, APRN, and the nurses and staff throughout the Cancer Institute for making one of the hardest experiences of his life easier.

“Everyone here is so friendly, positive, and encouraging,” he said. “They make you feel comfortable, and that makes all the difference.”

He especially remembers the infusion center nurses, who always greeted him with kindness, checked on him throughout treatment, and even made sure he had lunch or snacks when appointments stretched into the afternoon.

“I always joked and asked them if they gave everyone a happy pill before work because everyone was so nice,” he said. “They’re just wonderful people.”

These days, Rick is back to enjoying the things that matter most – spending time with family, fishing with his grandson, taking his grandchildren boating, and making memories with the people he loves.

His faith remains at the center of everything.

“My church prayed for me. My family prayed for me. I believe God was involved through the whole journey,” he said.

Now, Rick hopes sharing his story will encourage others facing a cancer diagnosis.

Looking back, he doesn’t think about being the first person in the country to receive a groundbreaking procedure.

He thinks about what that opportunity gave him – more time with his wife, more fishing trips, more family gatherings, and more chances to watch his grandchildren grow.

“I want people to hear the positive side of cancer treatment and these new procedures,” Rick said. “I was a success story, and I’m forever grateful.”

If he had to sum up his journey in just three words, Rick doesn’t hesitate.

“Thank you, God.”