Nashville songwriter’s journey with leukemia care

For years, David's life was defined by the rhythm of the Middle Tennessee roads. As an account manager for Keurig Dr. Pepper, he spent his days navigating routes through Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, and Hermitage driving to client meetings and back home. But in the summer of 2025, David noticed a change he couldn't ignore.

David, who was used to being on the move, was suddenly completely wiped out by 3 p.m. every day. "I was feeling very, very tired," David said.

Thinking it might be simple anemia or shingles, David waited for his annual physical. However, when his blood tests came back in mid-November, the results were far more serious than expected. His blood counts showed alarming irregularities that pointed toward something beyond standard anemia. He was immediately referred to an oncologist and underwent a bone marrow biopsy just before Thanksgiving to find the root cause. 

The call that changed everything came on a Monday at 5 p.m. David was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia, a type of blood cancer

David was quickly referred to  Jonathan Abbas, MD, hematologist and medical oncologist at Tennessee Oncology. David’s bone marrow was 50% leukemia. Without immediate intervention, he was told he might only have two months to live.

"Dr. Abbas came in and he actually sat down," David said. "You know doctors don't usually sit down in the hospital. He pulled up a chair... he said, 'Good thing we're here.'"

David was admitted on December 8th, 2025 and spent the entire holiday season in the hospital undergoing his first round of chemotherapy. Over the next several months, David faced a series of complications, including extensive blood clots in his legs and lungs, a painful kidney stone that required surgery, and mysterious pass-out spells caused by dangerously low blood pressure.

In April, a new challenge emerged. Tests suggested a serious blockage in David's heart. Because his platelets were low from the leukemia, a heart bypass surgery was extremely risky.

"I was really worried," David said. "It was a rough night with a lot of prayers."

The next morning, David went in for an angiogram, a procedure that uses special dye and X-rays to look deep inside the heart’s arteries for blockages. In what he describes as a true miracle, the imaging showed the opposite of what they expected. 'The doctor goes, "There’s just nothing wrong with your heart. You’ve got no blockage at all. You’ve got a heart like a 30-year-old." 

Beyond the clinical success, David found spiritual support within the hospital walls. Malcolm Brown, a chaplain resident at Ascension Saint Thomas, was a cornerstone of support throughout this journey, even visiting David in the emergency room during the frightening moments when his blood pressure dropped to 50/30. This compassion extended to the bedside staff as well; David recalls a night nurse who asked to hold his hand and pray for him. "She gave me the best prayer I’ve ever heard," he said. “Malcolm and the nurses were so sweet to me- they cared for my spirit as much as my health."

Today, David’s leukemia is at 0.0%. While he waits for a bone marrow transplant to ensure the cancer stays away, he is finding strength in a full circle moment from his past.

Ten years ago, as a songwriter, David wrote a song for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital titled "Not Gonna Lose This Fight." He spent time with children who were smiling through their own battles, a memory that now serves as his own anthem for recovery.

As David prepares for the next phase of his treatment, he is already planning his next album to give back to the medical community that saved him.

“People don't realize what you're really going through because they don't always see the struggle," David said. "Some days you're going to have a good day, and some days you're just not going to want to talk at all. Because of that, I want to use my music to give back to help others understand this journey and to support the center that saved my life."

At Ascension Saint Thomas, our oncology teams are dedicated to providing personalized care for even the most complex diagnoses. Learn more about our blood cancer program and advanced leukemia treatments.

This blog is intended for general informational use. Any health-related information shared is not meant to provide or replace professional medical advice and does not establish a patient-provider relationship. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.