Heroes, Part 1

I find that I have many heroes in my life. Some are my personal heroes, for personal reasons. The ones I am going to write about here are the heroes that have been part of my journey through the years here at the clinic.

Keith Lewis is one of my heroes.

I had never met Keith before he was roped into volunteering at the clinic. Keith is a pharmacist, and when I met him, he worked in a local retail pharmacy. He agreed to come in and organize the medications for the clinic. At the time, we were working with sample medications. We had so many medications, and absolutely no idea what some of them were and whether or not we would need them.

We were using a little tiny closet in the hallway as our dispensary at the time. It was a disaster. So, Keith came in after hours and organized it. He told me he would only organize it, that he did not have time to do anything other than that.

Ten years later – he is still here. Clearly, it was not possible to organize me!

Keith and his wife, Marilyn – who is also a pharmacist, worked the clinic every single Tuesday night for the first several years. They were finally able to find some other pharmacists to fill in when they were on vacation, and ultimately, to work every other week.

Keith is my rock – he is one of the smartest people I know, and he is the one I turn to with questions about the clinic. He was worked with me to develop a formulary that provides for our patients; he works closely with our physicians and providers to ensure that patients are appropriately treated; and he now serves on the board.

Last September, late on a Tuesday evening when Keith and Marilyn weren’t working, they came in the kitchen door. We were all pleased to have them drop by to see us – that is, until they dropped a bombshell on us.

Keith had been diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic prostate cancer. It had metastasized to his bones. Keith had always had annual physicals and blood work, so this was truly a shock.

Shock doesn’t really describe the reaction we had and continue to have. Devastated, sad, scared… well, any of you who have been given this type of news know how awful it is.

He describes his disease as “not curable, but treatable.” His first course of action was to get on as many prayer lists as he could.

And he started treatment. I won’t detail all of that because it is his story.

This is my story – he is amazing. As he has gone through treatment, he has continued to volunteer at the clinic. He encourages all of us as he manages his disease. He is currently on experimental treatment, with some wicked side effects, but he feels that it is what he is to do – for the future of cancer treatment and for how it may help others.

Keith is one of my heroes, and I probably haven’t told him that. But now you all know it.

Keep him in your prayers, please.