Steven Westphal

Facing a diagnosis of Stage 4 oral cancer, Steven Westphal was told he would never speak again. Yet, his voice now inspires many with his story of diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosed in 2014, Steven embarked on a grueling journey, undergoing extensive treatments. After his tongue and most of his esophagus were removed, he underwent another surgery to reconstruct his jaw and chin using titanium implants and bone from his leg.

Despite a bleak prognosis and five major surgeries to repair his lymphatic system—two of which lasted over 15 hours with only a 30% survival rate—Steven’s resilience never wavered. He spent a week in the intensive care unit (ICU) and a month in the hospital before being placed in hospice care. However, his determination saw him return home, and by 2020, he was declared NED (no evidence of disease).

Steven underwent 38 targeted radiation therapies to his face and 40 hyperbaric oxygen treatments, making him one of only three people in the northwest United States to receive this advanced treatment. Steven has been at the forefront of medical innovation, undergoing robotic surgery and robotic dry needle surgery as part of his treatment. Determined not to rely on an electronic voice box, he worked with five different speech therapists to reclaim his ability to speak.

His journey of perseverance and resilience has also fueled his advocacy. This year, Steven is passionately advocating for proper reimbursement policies for AI-driven cancer imaging technologies at the RSRT fly-in, ensuring that others benefit from the advancements in medical technology that have played a crucial role in his own recovery.