Symbol of Survival: Navy Veteran defies stage 4 cancer diagnosis, donates celebration bell to Lubbock VA Clinic
By Emily Bell, Public Affairs Officer
U.S. Navy Veteran Matthew Roach rang the celebration bell at the Lubbock VA Clinic on July 8, 2025, signifying his official triumph over terminal stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer one year after being diagnosed.
Roach, who served as a flight deck coordinator attached to Attack Squadron VA-65 aboard the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) during his time in the Navy, was the first Veteran to ring the newly installed “celebration bell” — a gift he donated to the facility months prior in hopes of inspiring other Veterans facing similar battles.
“Ringing the bell is a symbol of survival,” said Roach. “It’s a statement that says, ‘you made it through’. I hope this bell will give other Veterans something to look forward to — a real sense of achievement.”
His journey began years ago with a 2019 diagnosis of prostate cancer while living in California. After undergoing robotic surgery and 38 consecutive days of radiation, he was declared cancer-free in 2020. But in July 2024, after a ruptured artery led to further medical evaluation, he received a devastating diagnosis: the cancer had returned and spread to his colon, lymph nodes, tailbone, and shoulder blade.
“I thought this is it, I was going to die,” said Roach. “I started preparing for it — writing a will, getting my affairs in order. It felt like the worst kind of déjà vu.”
Despite the grim prognosis, Roach’s care team at the Lubbock VA Clinic quickly mobilized a treatment plan that included aggressive chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Roach also took it upon himself to dive into holistic health in conjunction with modern medicine to fight this battle. Within months, his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels dropped from nearly 6.0 to an undetectable 0.008.
“There were good days and there were a lot of really bad days,” said Roach. “But throughout the journey, my care team made me feel like I wasn’t just a patient with cancer. They became more like friends than providers to me.”
Roach credits much of his success to the compassionate care and support he received from the Lubbock VA Clinic and said that he looked forward to his appointments.
“Not every story like this turns into a good one, which is why Matt’s story means so much,” said a teary-eyed Leslie Vaughn, chemotherapy infusion registered nurse. “It’s rare to see this kind of turnaround with stage 4 metastatic cancer. He’s a fighter, and his spirit is contagious.”
The celebration bell Roach donated now hangs in the Lubbock VA Clinic’s chemotherapy treatment waiting room, where it will continue to mark milestones of courage, resilience, and healing for other Veterans for years to come.
“It’s not just a piece of metal,” said Roach. “It’s a message — that hope is alive here.”