How bariatric surgery restored a Rutherford mom's life
August 5, 2026
After years of struggling, Rutherford resident Larina lost over 200 pounds following bariatric surgery with Dr. Stephen Rich at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford.
Cancer support services
Ascension Saint Thomas provides personalized cancer care and support programs throughout your cancer journey.
Cancer support services in Middle Tennessee
Ascension Saint Thomas provides personalized cancer care and support programs throughout your cancer journey
About cancer survivor support at Ascension Saint Thomas
As your cancer care needs change, we’re ready to support you. At Ascension Saint Thomas, your cancer care team is beside you from diagnosis through recovery. You and your family will have personalized support services during and after your treatment. From nutrition education to exercise and wellness programs, we are with you every step of the way.
Cancer nurse navigators
Your nurse navigator is here to support you and your family throughout your cancer journey. As a member of the multidisciplinary care team, your nurse navigator provides education and support during your diagnosis and treatment, with the goal of lessening the burdens of your cancer journey.
Social workers
Our dedicated social workers are available during and after treatment to help connect you with resources such as:
- Community services
- Counseling
- Financial assistance
- Health insurance coverage
- Transportation
They facilitate support groups and mindful meditation sessions through our Cancer Wellness & Survivorship program.
Neighborhood Resources helps locate social services in your community.
Nutrition education and support
Proper nutrition is essential for living well during and after cancer treatment. We can connect you with a registered dietitian to assist you with proper eating for your specific condition if you're at high risk for malnutrition or have experienced significant weight loss.
Contact us at 615-284-CARE (2273)
Get a second opinion on your cancer diagnosis or care plan
Get the confidence and peace of mind that your doctor and care plan are right for you. It's easy to get a second opinion at Ascension Saint Thomas. We can review your medical records and healthcare history to answer your questions and discuss options.
When you have received a new cancer diagnosis or are deciding on a surgical or therapeutic treatment plan, there’s a lot to think about. Our cancer specialists can provide a second opinion, based on our experience and as part of a national team.
Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records on your behalf, so they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.
Frequently asked questions about our cancer care services
Your doctor and care team get to know you well, and you’ll receive care for the whole person – your physical and mental health. We also provide compassionate, personalized support for your family and caregivers. At Ascension Saint Thomas Cancer Center, we provide innovative medication treatments, the latest surgical technologies and techniques, high-tech radiation facilities and support services. Our outpatient cancer specialists are part of a national team of cancer specialists sharing the latest in cancer care knowledge and research. Find a location.
We can connect you with resources and programs that may be able to help you and your family with options for financial assistance. Our financial counseling team is here to listen to your concerns and work with you to help find options that meet your needs. Your cancer care navigator can connect you to a financial counselor.
At Ascension Saint Thomas cancer center and clinics, we offer convenient parking. Talk to your care team if you have transportation needs.
Surgical oncologists and anesthesiologists provide enhanced recovery pathways as part of your surgical care plan. They are an important part of our cancer treatment programs. Each pathway is personalized for different types of cancer treatment, to help speed up your recovery after surgery. Your care team uses these protocols to help you prepare for what to expect before, during and after surgery.
Featured locations
Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford
1700 Medical Center Pkwy
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown Cancer Center
2004 Hayes St.
Nashville, TN 37203
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or call 911.
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Stories you'll love
Fulfilling an opera lover's final wish
July 22, 2026
To fulfill an Ascension Living Alexian Village Tennessee resident’s dying wish, activities coordinator Amber Beam brought the New York Metropolitan Opera to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Songwriter David Schmelhaus found life-saving care and spiritual strength during his battle with acute leukemia at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville, Tenn.
Esophageal cancer care for Tennessee man
April 24, 2026
Middle Tennessee resident Roy Zacharias found life-saving care for Stage 3 esophageal cancer from Dr. John Lazar at Ascension Saint Thomas West in Nashville.
Young mother experiences AFib during pregnancy
January 28, 2026
At just 26 years old, a Nashville mother receives specialty heart care for women at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Women’s Center during her second pregnancy.
Women’s heart care helps great-grandmother get more time
January 28, 2026
After two decades of seeking care for her heart symptoms, a referral to the Women's Heart Center at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart in Nashville, TN, gives a great-grandmother more time to enjoy her growing family.
Neck pain helped local business owner find cancer early
January 26, 2026
Dr. Robert Rampp, general and endocrine surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, helped a Murfreesboro native detect thyroid cancer and saved his life.
Couple received life changing care
December 31, 2025
A Lascassas, Tenn., couple received a heart bypass and kidney transplant at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West on the same day, then recovered and went home together.
A Murfreesboro woman’s bariatric transformation
December 11, 2025
After years of struggling with her weight, Stephanie turned to Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro for bariatric surgery that changed her life.
Middle Tennessee man’s life with 115 lbs. weight loss
December 5, 2025
In 2024, Dr. Stephen Rich, helps a patient with his bariatric journey at the Ascension Saint Thomas Bariatric Center.
Lung scan saves Nashville man’s life
November 17, 2025
A routine lung scan at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville revealed a hidden tumor in 63-year-old Greg Hall, leading to life-saving treatment and recovery.
Bariatric surgery transforms Murfreesboro woman's life
October 31, 2025
After undergoing bariatric surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, Ellen regained the energy to fully enjoy life again.
Routine lung scan saves Murfreesboro woman’s life
October 24, 2025
Using advanced ION robotic technology, the care team at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford helped a Murfreesboro resident detect and treat lung cancer early.
In June 2016, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee resident Sharon Nowlin began her fight against ovarian cancer with Ascension Saint Thomas and Tennessee Oncology doctors Johnetta Blakley and Alpa Nick in Middle Tennessee.
Now 27, Morgan reflects on her journey with breast cancer and the care she received at the Ascension Saint Thomas Women’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Joint surgery helps Nashville horsewoman get back in the saddle
September 17, 2025
With the help of the Ascension Saint Thomas Joint Replacement Institute, a Nashville woman overcame joint pain and is now thriving on the set of ABC’s 9-1-1 Nashville.
General surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford helps patient heal after misdiagnosis
July 8, 2025
Dr. Mark Manwaring, colon and rectal surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee helps a patient find answers to symptoms that suggest Crohn’s disease.
If incidents occur this Fourth of July, knowing where and when to get immediate and emergency care is important.
Four summer activities that often lead to injuries
June 23, 2025
Ascension urgent care and orthopedic teams are here to help you manage your summer injury.
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2023, a Nashville resident turned to Ascension Saint Thomas West, where expert urologists Dr. Adnan Dervishi and Dr. Mark Sittig provided advanced prostate cancer care.
Over a decade later, Saint Thomas is relaunching the Nothing Shall Be Impossible campaign rooted in faith, driven by medical excellence, and growing to meet the needs of tomorrow.
Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville, TN, quickly responds to patients experiencing strokes and provides neurology and rehabilitation care to help with recovery.
In January 2024, longtime CNA discovered she had an ischemic stroke, and Dr. Lani Thomas performed a life-saving thrombectomy at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, TN.
Dr. Bobby Rampp, general surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, performed robotic bilateral hernia surgery to relieve a former Foundation board member’s severe abdominal symptoms.
A Nashville woman shares her story of overcoming rectal cancer with early detection and support from Ascension Saint Thomas for Colon Cancer Awareness Month.
Murfreesboro woman receives help after MRI finds thyroid nodule
February 7, 2025
Dr. Robert Rampp, an endocrine surgeon with Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, helped treat a mother of three who found a thyroid nodule during a routine MRI.
Dr. Hannah Fish-Trotter, a cardiologist at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart, helped treat a mother of two with a diagnosis and treatment of a heart defect found after pregnancy.
Ascension Saint Thomas Heart is launching the Women's Program to transform cardiovascular care for women through prevention, early detection and a multi-disciplinary approach in Middle Tennessee.
Hayley Wielgus had a premature birth at Ascension Saint Thomas, where support from the care team helped her daughter thrive after a four-week NICU stay.
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West performs first robotic tracheobronchoplasty in Tennessee
November 8, 2024
Thoracic surgeon Dr. John Lazar at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, Tennessee treated a patient’s severe airway condition with a robotic-assisted tracheobronchoplasty.
Legendary musician credits Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West for life-saving cardiac surgery
October 14, 2024
John McEuen, a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Bands is celebrating his life, thanks to the expert cardiac care he received at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville.
Middle Tennessee mother completes her treatment for ovarian cancer
September 26, 2024
Dr. Jason Barnett, a gynecologic oncologist at Tennessee Oncology, helped treat a mother of two with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer that had spread to other parts of her body while receiving care at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown.
John Spooner, MD, neurosurgeon at Howell Allen Clinic with Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, TN, helps a grandmother with a large brain aneurysm get back to creating art.
Lung cancer teams at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville, TN, perform Ion robotic bronchoscopy and resection for the first time in hospital history.
Mark A. Zenker, MD, cardiologist at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart's Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic, research with CAMZYOS helps grandmother feel better.
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West Kidney Transplant Center helps Nashville mom get a second chance with a hepatitis C kidney transplant.
Brooke got a second chance with a kidney transplant at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West Kidney Transplant Center in Nashville, TN.
Retired Tennessee farmer's life saved by innovative wireless pacemaker
September 26, 2023
Cardiologist Dr. Ricardo Lugo becomes Tennessee's first cardiologist to insert the Micra™ VR2 wireless pacemaker in a patient.
Knoxville man urgently receives a new heart and a second chance at life at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart in Nashville, TN.
Murfreesboro man gets emergency heart care when going into cardiac arrest during a prostate cancer removal at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford.
Nashville woman donates kidney to her husband
April 5, 2023
A Nashville couple turns to Ascension Saint Thomas Kidney Transplant Center for a kidney transplant, where a patient receives his wife's kidney.