Finding Camaraderie at UF Health Radiation Oncology

Richard Coble spent much of his career studying the art of war, the strategies of battle, and the mentality of warriors. As a Navy Seabee, he applied his findings to training new soldiers, and as an active-duty soldier in Iraq, he used that knowledge firsthand.
In retirement, Richard never expected his military background would serve him in another battle against a new enemy, one that touches millions globally — cancer.
Richard joined the armed forces in 1991, following in the footsteps of his father, a 28-year Navy man. Initially assigned to administrative tasks, Richard’s work evolved after 9/11 into war tactics, as he studied applied combat and trained new recruits.
“I helped prepare soldiers going into combat with weapons qualification, tactics, camp-building, and defense,” Richard said. “If we were attacked, part of the Seabee mission was defending ourselves and the camp.”
Richard might not have expected that his Navy training would apply so aptly to his future battle with Stage 3 colon cancer, but he says the parallels were striking.
“My mindset was, in war you have a common enemy, and for myself and the people at the UF Health Cancer Center, we had a common enemy in cancer,” Richard said. “There are different stages, but the enemy remains the same.”
Following his initial diagnosis in the fall of 2023, Richard visited UF Health Radiation Oncology – Davis Cancer Pavilion to begin presurgical radiation treatment. There, he met fellow veteran and UF Health radiation oncologist Kathryn Hitchcock, MD, PhD.
“She was really sweet,” Richard said. “She listened and answered all our questions, and she was just like Johnny-on-the-spot. She knew her stuff.”
Dr. Hitchcock values her one-on-one time with patients as a key part of her work.
“Taking somebody from the scariest thing of their life, feeling like they don’t know what’s going to happen, and teaching them in that first hour all about it, giving them control and a plan and hope, it’s an honor to be able to provide that,” Dr. Hitchcock said.
As a Navy nuclear engineer for five years, Dr. Hitchcock said Richard’s assessment of the similarities between war and cancer resonated.
“It was really kind of him to acknowledge the difficulty of our work,” Dr. Hitchcock said. “You keep fighting. I thought that was an apt comparison.”
Richard started radiation treatment five days a week at UF Health, traveling nearly three hours every weekday from Orange Park, Florida. Richard described the treatment plan as exhausting but admits he never felt alone in his journey.
“I’m fortunate to be in this spot where you have a team. It’s not just you fighting this. It’s your family and the professionals that are in this with you,” Richard said. “They’re fighting an enemy and dealing with death every day, and doing that takes courage.”
Dr. Hitchcock echoes Richard’s sentiment, crediting the success and capability of UF Health’s radiation oncology services to everyone behind the scenes.
“I have to give more of the credit to the radiation therapists and nurses that I work with,” Dr. Hitchcock said. “All of us have to pitch in, to pep talk and keep patients’ eyes on the future and remind them why this is all going to be worth it.”
Dr. Hitchcock takes pride in every team member, from intake to treatment providers, helping patients through one of the most challenging times of their lives.
“Everybody who comes into contact with the patients helps, including the schedulers who are right there with us,” Dr. Hitchcock said. “I hear them on the phone encouraging patients even just to come in and talk, and without that encouragement, none of this would work.”
Richard credits the team in radiation oncology for its professionalism and compassion.
“The kindness they showed, it manifested itself with everything they did — never a harsh word, always willing to answer any question I had,” Richard said. “It takes courage to do that on a daily basis. I fought a war overseas, but these guys are fighting a war here.”
Though their Navy days are behind them, both veterans have been able to apply their experience to fighting future battles and showing others how to keep fighting too.
“I get to meet so many people, and more than that, I get to be there with them at this critical turning point in their lives,” Dr. Hitchcock said. “To offer encouragement and personal connection along the way is an honor to me.”
Richard emphasizes the importance of such encouragement and maintaining a fighting mentality in the face of a cancer diagnosis.
“First and foremost, it’s your attitude because it’s not necessarily a death sentence just because you hear the word ‘cancer,’” Richard said. “I’m fortunate to be in this spot where I’ve got a team now, and it isn’t just me fighting this anymore.”
For his part, Richard finds inspiration in many places, from fellow veterans to inspirational public figures, like the late ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, whose wisdom Richard looks to often.
“He shared how you fight until you’re tired, and then somebody else will fight for you,” Richard said. “And that’s what it is. I’m fighting it and now I’m tired, but I have a group of people, a group of warriors, ready to stand shoulder to shoulder.”