Hope for the Cancer+ Journey Podcast

Debbie Taylor Williams: You are not alone on your cancer journey. Welcome to hope for the cancer journey podcast. I'm your host Debbie Taylor Williams, a stage three lung cancer survivor. A cancer diagnosis is shocking and scary, but there is hope as you'll hear from people's stories of their journey, tips for navigating the medical world, and the unwavering hope you can have in Christ. Let's walk this path together. Our guest today is Bob Alley. Bob is a Kansas City kid who moved with his wife Marcena and their two children to Houston in 1992. Bob was in business and also a captain in the US Navy as well as participated in Bible Study Fellowship prior to retiring and moving to the Texas Hill Country in 2008.

Keith and I had the blessing of worshiping with Bob and Marcena in Kerrville before they moved to Stevenville, Texas to be closer to family. Bob is here today to share his cancer journey and the hope he has found along the way. Welcome, Bob.

Bob Alley: Thank you, Debbie.

Debbie Taylor Williams: It's so good to have you with us today and you have come from out of town and I appreciate you taking the time to stop by the studio so that we could have this time to visit with you. Bob, if you wouldn't mind, could you take us back to when you first discovered your cancer and how it was that you even discovered it in the first place?

Bob Alley: Well, it was about December of of 2025 and I was kind of progressing with pneumonia and ended up going into the hospital and and having some checks done and they came back and they said, yes, you have pneumonia, but you also have cancer.

Debbie Taylor Williams: That had to just have been the hugest shock in the world to you.

Bob Alley: It was like a bolt out of the blue.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes, yes, like a bolt of lightning or something just suddenly strikes.

Bob Alley: Yeah, I mean it was a surprise and it's one of those kind of deals that you go, what are the next steps? What what you know, how do I respond to that because I had no symptoms?

Debbie Taylor Williams: I see I didn't have symptoms either, which just makes it so strange instead of you kind of having some symptoms that eventually start putting in your mind maybe there's something wrong.

Bob Alley: Yeah, when I was detected, basically they said you're at stage four.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Oh my. And you're like how did it get to stage four? Well, what kind of cancer was it?

Bob Alley: I had neck and throat, lungs, and liver. So pretty much everything in the middle.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Bob, that had to just be so shocking because it wasn't even just one place.

Bob Alley: No, that luckily it was in the lungs were relatively light. The the liver was you know, a concern, but after maybe a week or so, I started to feel a lump in the right side of my neck kind of below my ear and that was the really kind of the first indication that it was in in my head and neck also.

Debbie Taylor Williams: So you would have eventually maybe have had that lump

Bob Alley: Well, I could feel it. Yes.

Debbie Taylor Williams: And gone to the doctor, but still Oh my goodness. As a man who has gone in for to the hospital with pneumonia and you get that kind of a diagnosis stage four and different places, what feelings just rushed through you that you shared with us your logical response? What are the next steps? What feelings flooded you or emotions?

Bob Alley: Well, I have to admit I was feeling crummy that you know, surprise was part of the process. The other was like concern because you don't know early on in a diagnosis what your next steps are. And you know, once we determined you know, that I had cancer, we you know, tried to set up you know, appointments with oncologist and the like and and to be honest, the the first oncologist didn't work for us. And and so next door neighbor luckily had had gone through the same treatment at UTSA in Fort Worth and said, you need to call my oncologist.

And we called them and they said, can you come in tomorrow?

Debbie Taylor Williams: Oh my goodness. What a blessing.

Bob Alley: So versus the other one that said maybe come at the end of January and this is really the first part of January. So that was kind of the catalyst to to change doctors.

Debbie Taylor Williams: So you didn't even have that first appointment?

Bob Alley: No. We we said urgency is a is an issue here and and I want to get started as fast as I can.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes, and you appreciated that second oncologist saying come in.

Bob Alley: Yes. Yes. And I it might have been because I just said the name of the our next door neighbor and and they they knew her well and she was well liked. And so it it was worked very well to have that relationship both with her doctor as well as the fact that we're neighbors.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Definitely. And when things like that happen, I

Bob Alley: That that is kind of a god wink.

Debbie Taylor Williams: I was going to say Bob, I know you're a Christian and we can't help but say thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. For what some people might think is just a coincidence, but we still turn our heads heavenward and acknowledge that there's a divine God and he cares about us and he is able to work out details because you had moved from Kerrville to Stevenville. So your next door neighbor was right there.

Bob Alley: Right. Yep. Yeah, I mean you know, you could call it coincidence, but I think there was a greater plan.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes, there was a greater plan definitely. How did and you speaking about a greater plan and us talking about the Lord, what part did prayer come into your cancer journey and how long have you been on this cancer journey now?

Bob Alley: Well, I mean basically since the end of 2025. So it's been you know, effectively almost 10 months now.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes. And how has prayer played into your journey?

Bob Alley: Both personal prayer and thankfully friends, neighbors, a wealth of people, people from you know, Massachusetts, you know, business former business associates. You know, it it's firm believer that prayer has been a blessing and helps.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes. Studies have shown that that prayer does help and it makes an impact. So I am with you. I so appreciated when I would get a text or a phone call or an email from someone who said, I am praying for you.

Bob Alley: Right. We had some prayer warriors here that I think from church that were avid prayers and would do it every day and and send me a note and say we have prayed for you and we will continue to pray for you.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes, yes, that gives me goosebumps because I would have the same thing and when somebody makes a point to say look you in the eye or call you or text you and say I pray for you every day, that is just an incredible thing you can do for someone.

Bob Alley: Right. It's powerful.

Debbie Taylor Williams: It is powerful. Okay, so Bob, you took us to where you found a doctor that you liked and you've been told that you have stage four neck, throat, liver cancer.

Bob Alley: And lung.

Debbie Taylor Williams: And lung. What did your doctor prescribe?

Bob Alley: Well, actually after meeting the doctor for the first time, they provided some names of some other doctor oncologist and we scheduled appointments and each had a variety of different ways they were going to attack the the cancer. Some were going to do it with surgery. Some were going to do it with you know, first round of chemo and then see whether surgery was needed. And when I went back to the UTSA doctor, he said basically we're going to do the same thing, but we're going to do just with the chemo and and the the infusion therapy.

And you know, I thought well, if it if it's going to cure, if it's going to do the same thing as surgery and and others, I I'm going to probably take the easy way out and and I just go for the you know, for your suggestion on treatment because you know, somebody doing a lot of surgery right below your ear on your right side of your neck quite honestly was scary.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Absolutely.

Bob Alley: Because it was pretty close to the jugular.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes. I I can definitely see Was it a hard decision for you? Did you discuss it with Marcena or did you just the moment he said it, did you know in your spirit that's what I'm going to do?

Bob Alley: Well, I mean I I think I kind of weighed the you know, the pros and the cons of each side and then decided that you know, it was going to be a journey, but the UTSA doctor I I I had a lot of respect and and trusted and and if he said this will do the same thing as doing the other things without surgery, I thought well, that that sounds like the better route for me and and Marcena and I talked about it and and you know, we you know, I think probably me more mutually agreed that this was the better way to do it with the the chemo treatments.

Debbie Taylor Williams: That is so helpful when a doctor tells you that you'll get the same results.

Bob Alley: I mean you can do things a variety of ways and that's one of the things you learn is there there's not one way to do things. There's a multiplicity of ways to do it. It's just which is going to work for you.

Debbie Taylor Williams: How strongly do you advise that somebody let's say they're in your position, they've just been diagnosed with cancer, how strongly do you suggest that they get multiple opinions?

Bob Alley: Well, witness my experience I I would say it's it's it's important because you have to feel comfortable with the treatment that you're going to get and you also as you're going through realize that maybe first steps don't work. Maybe you have to go to different chemo. Maybe you have you know, different frequency of treatment. So it it is a a learning process and I my feeling is that it's kind of more art than it is science in some cases. So they're they're working to see what the solutions are, but there's not one solution for every every person.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Bob, you have brought so many insights. I'm curious about this and along the way, were there any new not necessarily experiences, but any heightened awareness in your walk with God or in your experiences or your knowledge of him because of this particular serious diagnosis that you received?

Bob Alley: I I think what I felt was a higher degree of comfort that we were on the right track and that you know, indeed God was providing next steps and so I I wanted to make sure that I was listening and and understood, but that by and large I felt very pretty comfortable in the process. You know, one of one of our friends from Conroe actually was a pastor's wife had a heart attack and it at the mall, but she wouldn't call an ambulance. She called her husband and he and he came and picked her up and and probably too late took her to the hospital.

She was in a coma for a number of days and she said the only thing she could say think of and she couldn't really speak was be quiet and know that I'm God.

Debbie Taylor Williams: That's powerful.

Bob Alley: That that went through my mind an awful lot.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes, it does. I I like that you shared that because faith is critical and you shared with me before that God does have a plan and his plan will be revealed. As you have had to have a series of numerous follow-up exams and scans and all of that, I'm sure you've heard the word scan anxiety, anxiety, a systematic diagnosis. These routine scans can bring intense concerns. Has has it returned? Is it increasing? Is it decreasing? What do you do to anchor yourself before a major scan or medical update? How do you handle that or do you experience any fear or concern?

Bob Alley: By and large we you know, we did the original uh scan where you you go in and it's loud and banging and and uh that was a little bit uh difficult. After that we did CT scans and with enhancements and much easier and and and much more comfortable and and indeed you know, at uh UTSA and and in Fort Worth uh they were doing like head and neck, chest, and lower abdomen. And it was all done in in about seven minutes. And you know, so the fact that it was uh imaging and and not the the previous experience with all the loud banging and and and the like uh each time was a little bit more comfortable.

And so you know, I I realized and I think the doctor realized too that the the CT scans were probably the best route for me.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes. They're not quite as uncomfortable, but do you worry before is is it like okay, I have a CT coming up and

Bob Alley: Ne uh I I hasn't affected me that way. I mean part of it I guess is uh you know, navy training and other things. You go into narrow spaces, you know, you go up uh ladder port ways and and and the like that are not much bigger than your shoulders. And and so you know, that was kind of a prior experience and and somewhat similar.

Debbie Taylor Williams: The physical experience of going through that I I can see how your prior training would have helped you because some people truly have a fear of becoming so Bob.

Bob Alley: Oh I know. Yeah, yeah.

Debbie Taylor Williams: So being able to call back your training of small spaces and handling that would definitely definitely help with that. Before CT, do you ever worry that maybe it's going to show it's metastasized and it's growing instead of stabilized?

Bob Alley: Well, I mean I think those thoughts go through your mind, but it it's uh you know, after the initial process and and seeing results uh improving, you know, that's you know, kind of a comfort factor, but indeed yes, each time is is you know, like a flip of coin. Is it going to go up or down?

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes. Do you do anything to try to mentally prepare yourself or kind of think through okay, if it's it is stable or getting smaller, of course I'm going to be thanking God, but let me just think about and prepare myself for if I got other news. Do do anything to kind of prepare yourself for either response from the doctor?

Bob Alley: Well, you know, as you know, when you you have scans and stuff, it's usually about a week or so before you talk to the doctor. So that's really the time period where you know, there's a little bit of of not anxiety, but just uncertainty of which way is it going to be? Is it going to be thumbs up or thumbs down? And and so I I I'd say that's really more the anxiety for me is that interval time period.

Debbie Taylor Williams: That makes sense. And how do you process that and any tips for someone who has just been diagnosed with a stage four cancer or even stage three, two, one or and they're waiting for that answer from the doctor, thumbs up, thumbs down, any suggestions?

Bob Alley: I I think what I've realized in my own is it it's a process. It's a step by step. So each time is potentially a different experience. And you know, you don't know what you don't know. And then so as you go through the process of treatment uh and and maybe initial ones won't work. Maybe follow ones don't work. But you know, if the if the doctor is recommending you know, different courses of action because you have bad reactions to it or whatever, you kind of go with the process because I felt a high degree of trust in the doctor, the staff, and and you know, the people there.

Probably more importantly I trusted God.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes, yes. That that is such good advice. And now that if there is something that shows up on the scan that wasn't there before or not the hope for results from the scan that your doctor is going to have a course of action for you to take from that point.

Bob Alley: Yes, very much the the case.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Yes, you're not going to be just left hanging. There is something more that can be done.

Bob Alley: Well, you know, you can't imagine the doctor saying uh sorry, that's all I can do.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Right. Right.

Bob Alley: That you don't you don't want to hear that you know, and and uh the doctors are are very skilled and and you know, have been willing to share with you and talk uh about what's going on. You know, it's not you have two minutes of my time and I'm on to the next patient. You know, they're typically very concerned. The staff is concerned. You know, physician assistants are there. There's a lot of support within the process of uh what treatment to take and and actually the execution of that treatment.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Do you feel like your time in the Navy also helped you prepare mentally and emotionally for this kind of a diagnosis so that you weren't just throwing your hands in the air and going into panic mode or a deep deep depression?

Bob Alley: Oh I I I I definitely think that that's a process that that helps is because that's what you do as a naval officer is you you have plans that you can execute. And and those plans are designed for a variety of different reasons. I mean whether it's fire drills or you know, getting underway, uh coming into port, uh you know, refueling, rearming, doing all kinds of things. There are activities that you do that you gain experience from. And that experience carries over into you know, by and large the rest of your life.

Debbie Taylor Williams: So your oncologist is the captain. He is steering you through He's the admiral. He is steering you through this journey. Let me ask you, are there any suggestions that you would give to a person who's listening who has stage four cancer if you were to hear I'm sorry, there's nothing more we can do because we know that that is sometimes what a person will hear. Have you thought through or picture or allowed yourself to be in that position to think through how would I react? What would I do?

Bob Alley: I I think my reaction would be I appreciate the attempt to make me healthy again or make me able to continue life. But I also uh in one of the the guys that I knew from previous church had a number numerous number of heart attacks. And and like after his fifth, he was in the in the operating room and then and the doctor asked him you know, what he thought and he said you know, I believe in Jesus. If if you fix my heart and I live more, that'll be great and then I get to see Jesus.

Or if I die on the table, I'm going to get to see Jesus. So thank you, Lord.

Debbie Taylor Williams: What a profound response. I I love that and I appreciate you sharing that with our listeners. Is there any final word you would like to share or give our listeners before we close?

Bob Alley: I I think one of the the issues that are important for people to do is to have a positive attitude. Belief is part of that in in in in God. And one is comfort factor with the the treatment that you're going through or that they have uh your best interest in in in their minds and that uh the the process is expecting positive outcomes.

Debbie Taylor Williams: That is great advice. Let me just ask you, how do you maintain a positive attitude because our listeners can hear you say that and think oh that's wonderful, but I just don't have a positive attitude. Could you give them some tips?

Bob Alley: That that is difficult if you're prone not to be a positive person. If you are a Christian and you believe that God has the best in in his mind for you and that there are more things in the future that he has to for you to do, that's the catalyst for next steps. That's the that's the purpose. Uh if you don't have those, I can understand how you could be depressed. And that's part of the journey that people have to go through is faith is a very important process. Faith is a very important attitude adjustment and faith ultimately is important to where you're going to go.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Absolutely. And we do have on the hope for the cancer journey podcast website how someone can be assured of their salvation, how they can know that if and when because it's not an if we are Yes, we all are going to die one day. That's a given for even the healthiest person. We are going to die one day. So we have resources on the hillcountryministries.org or debbie taylor williams.com website. They're the same place that says meet Jesus.

Bob Alley: Mhm.

Debbie Taylor Williams: And a person may have had a relationship with Christ at one time and it's kind of dwindled or faded and it may be this very diagnosis that they have that is drawing them back into a more intimate closer walk with Jesus to know him better. He is described and he shows himself to be a healer when he came to Earth and we do believe in the power of prayer as Christians and we know that we will receive divine healing when we're in heaven. So that is I believe as you do a huge factor in being able to maintain a positive attitude.

We know where we're going.

Bob Alley: Mhm.

Debbie Taylor Williams: We just don't know how we're going to get there. So

Bob Alley: Timing is not our choice.

Debbie Taylor Williams: That's right. That's right, but we can just follow those steps that we know to do and follow our trusted doctors.

Bob Alley: Ultimately say thank you, Jesus.

Debbie Taylor Williams: Ultimately say oh and Bob, that's such a good word for us to close with. Thank you, Jesus and I do thank him for you making the huge effort to come to my studio here in my home on your way back to Stevenville. You and Marcena have just been such a blessing to Keith and me and now because of your cancer journey, your voice is going to go out to thousands of people and they are going to hear that if they go into the hospital thinking they have one thing and it comes out that they've got throat, neck, and lung and liver cancer, that there is hope.

Bob Alley: Very much so.

Debbie Taylor Williams: I appreciate that. That is a good word for us to end on. Thank you for being here.

Bob Alley: Thank you, Debbie.

Debbie Taylor Williams: All right listeners, please subscribe and also share this episode. It could be the exact message someone needs today. Thank you for listening and keep looking up as you take hold of the hope you have in Christ. And remember Psalm 39:7. And now oh Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.