Blood, Platelet Donors Key Part of Radio Host's Recovery

In early 2024, Pat noticed he was becoming unusually winded while carrying a load of laundry up the stairs. Concerned, he visited his doctor, who discovered blood clots in his lungs. While blood thinners successfully treated and dissolved the clots, the lesion his doctor also found on his back confirmed that Pat had a type of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma.

His world was turned upside down. For more than 30 years, Pat has been the voice of his community, a trusted radio host known for his compassion, humor and heart. 

Pat underwent four rounds of chemotherapy and injections in his stomach to prepare for a stem cell transplant. The journey was incredibly challenging; he developed sepsis during treatment and was hospitalized for eight days before recovering.

Once Pat was strong enough, apheresis procedures were used to collect the millions of stem cells required to support his transplant needs. This demanding procedure involved seven-hour collections for two consecutive days to collect enough circulating stem cells for his transplant. The collected stem cells were then sent to a Vitalant facility  where they underwent processing, cryopreservation and storage. A portion of this collection was reinfused for Pat’s stem cell transplant, while the remaining cells were stored for any potential future transplant needs should the cancer reoccur. 

Pat then underwent further chemotherapy before the stem cell transplant. During the procedure and in the days following, he also received blood and platelet transfusions. He is grateful to be alive.

“I’m actually glad I went through this experience,” he said. “Like many cancer survivors, I have a new perspective on life, and I met the most amazing people.”

He says he’s much more diligent now about exercise and diet and even more appreciative of his family and his life. Pat has advice for others facing a cancer diagnosis.

“Seek out other people who have been through this journey. They are invaluable resources who can put things into terms you will more easily understand. There is always hope,” he said.

Today, Pat is alive, grateful, and using his voice to thank the donors who gave him a second chance.

“To the people who donate blood, you will never quite understand the value of your selflessness," he said. "Thank you doesn’t seem like nearly enough, and I urge everyone who can donate to do so.” 

We are grateful to Pat for sharing his story with the Vitalant community. Known for his dedication to service through his radio work, Pat, along with his long-time country music radio partners, continues to share his positivity and humor over the airwaves and beyond. 

There are many ways to make a difference in lives like Pat's, even as simple as raising awareness about the constant need for blood donors. Learn more and get started at vitalant.org/advocacy.