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In 2015, Rob Pierce was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and told he had just 12-14 months to live. He was referred to Huntsman Cancer Institute, where he met Wallace Akerley, MD, director of the at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Ten years later, Rob and his wife, Lyddia, met with Dr. Akerley again. They learned two things: Dr. Akerley would retire in June 2025鈥攁nd Rob was officially lung cancer-free.
Rob鈥檚 story began in 2014, when he felt an unusual pain in his leg. After seeing multiple doctors, he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He had also been experiencing headaches. During that same appointment, he learned the cancer had spread to his neck and brain. His doctor referred him to Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Rob and Lyddia discussed next steps. After speaking with a colleague, Lyddia felt confident that Huntsman Cancer Institute was the right decision. A week later, they met with Dr. Akerley and his team.
Dr. Akerley confirmed the diagnosis but offered Rob options鈥攊ncluding an aggressive approach with chemotherapy and radiation.
Rob said, 鈥淟et鈥檚 try that. I want to stay alive for my grandkids.鈥
Rob began with radiation treatments to his brain and neck. He underwent stereotactic brain radiation under the care of Gita Suneja, MD, MS, a radiation oncologist at Huntsman Cancer Institute. She treated all seven brain metastases in one afternoon. Rob also underwent daily radiation for the tumor on his neck鈥攔oughly the size of a baseball.
鈥淪he saved his brain, and the neck tumor vanished,鈥 Lyddia says.
After that, Rob was treated by Randy Jensen, MD, PhD, co-director of the at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
鈥淏oth [Dr. Akerley and Dr. Jensen] deserve to be saints. They鈥檝e saved so many people鈥檚 lives and eased so many people鈥檚 minds who have cancer by dealing with them with great bedside manner,鈥 Rob says. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l tell you like it is and let you make the decisions on your treatment, which is amazing.鈥
After completing radiation, Rob began four rounds of chemotherapy. While his tumor responded well, the treatment took a severe toll on his body.
鈥淚t was the worst year of our lives,鈥 Lyddia says.
Due to side effects, Rob鈥檚 care team paused chemotherapy. The tumor had shrunk significantly. Then, just as it began growing again, a new immunotherapy drug was fast-tracked by the Federal Drug Administration. The drug offered hope鈥攂ut came with serious risks. After careful thought, they decided the potential benefits outweighed the dangers.
For more than two years, Rob received biweekly immunotherapy infusions鈥攄espite continued health challenges, including pneumonia. Despite it all, Rob responded very well to the immunotherapy and began setting both short and long-term goals.
鈥淢y first goal was walking Lucas, my grandson, to school his first day of kindergarten, and I did that,鈥 Rob says. 鈥淎nd I've done that every year since.鈥
During that time, they also learned their daughter was expecting a baby girl. Rob hugged her and said he hoped to meet his granddaughter, Piper. Now, Lucas, who was an infant when Rob was first diagnosed, has finished fifth grade, and Piper has finished first grade. And Rob is still walking them both to their first day of school every year. He also travels to Dallas often to visit his other grandson, Damron.
Rob recalls times he would talk with Dr. Akerley about things that worried him. Dr. Akerley reassured him by explaining that what was happening wasn鈥檛 as bad as Rob thought it was, which helped to ease Rob鈥檚 nerves.
鈥淐ancer does a real trick on your mind. It鈥檚 such a roller coaster. You get bad news, you get good news, you get bad news, and it's kind of crazy,鈥 Rob says. 鈥淏ut if it wasn't for Dr. Akerley and his team, I would not be sitting here today. I can definitely tell you that.鈥
Rob and Lyddia believe research is what the world needs right now, and funding that research is vital.
鈥淚 believe in the next 10 years, there's going to be so much advancement in medical treatment for all diseases because of Artificial Intelligence and the collaboration of all the doctors getting all the information together,鈥 Rob says. 鈥淩esearch is going to save [more] people's lives.鈥
Rob later faced additional diagnoses, including ureteral and kidney cancers, and credits his care teams for seeing him through.
鈥淗untsman Cancer Institute in general is a godsend,鈥 Rob says. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be alive and a whole mess of other people wouldn鈥檛 be alive without it.鈥
Rob once asked Dr. Akerley if he would always be considered stage 4.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l always carry that diagnosis,鈥 Dr. Akerley explained, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 no longer a death sentence.鈥
Thanks to years of treatment and close monitoring, Rob reached a major milestone in March 2025: five years without signs of lung cancer. Dr. Akerley officially declared him lung cancer-free.
鈥淗untsman Cancer Institute in general is a godsend. I wouldn鈥檛 be alive and a whole mess of other people wouldn鈥檛 be alive without it.鈥
Rob Pierce
When he reflects on the last 10 years, Rob sees a crazy journey that has, in some aspects, changed his life for the better. He will forever be grateful for the care he received from Dr. Akerley.
鈥淚鈥檓 glad that I'm still alive to see him retire,鈥 Rob says. 鈥淚'm sad to see him retire, but at the same time, I want to see him enjoy his family. I am so thankful that he was there and helped me to have more time with my family.鈥