Joel Graybeal knows what it’s like to work at a business where people mean more than the bottom line. At Triangle Rock Clubs, where he is managing partner, employees find joy in helping clients climb their way to better health and fitness. Some of them even find their soul mates: the clubs’ colorful climbing terrains have served as backdrops for several marriage proposals.
Even so, when the pandemic shut down the clubs for several months, Graybeal expected members to pause their monthly dues since they wouldn’t be able to use the facilities. Instead, many of them kept up their payments.
“You have no idea what your business means to my life,” one man explained. “It was imperative to my family and me that we help get you guys through this thing.”
Meaningful Work that Changes Lives
In his experiences at Duke Cancer Institute (DCI), Graybeal senses a like-minded commitment to caring for people. Since his diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer in the spring of 2022, his medical oncologists, surgeons, and radiologists have worked together as a team to coordinate and accelerate their treatment plans for his disease.
“My case is a bit more complex,” said Graybeal, whose scans revealed a metastases. “Right smack dab in the middle of my brain.”
“Inoperable,” said his wife, Caroline Graybeal. “Yet our first day at Duke, specialist after specialist met with us and we actually walked away feeling like, ‘Okay, they got this.’”
“I've been through the tumor board multiple times,” said Graybeal. (Tumor boards, or multidisciplinary patient conferences, are the collaborative meetings where DCI medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, radiologists and pathologists meet to discuss the best treatment plan for complex cases.)
Graybeal said that his treatment began with radiation to his brain under the care of John Kirkpatrick, MD, a radiation oncologist who specializes in brain and spine metastasis.
“Dr. Kirkpatrick has been just unbelievable. He's gracious, he's nice, he's friendly. I always feel a bit uplifted when I go to spend time with him,” Graybeal said.
Graybeal has had multiple treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, and now multiple MRIS show no evidence of brain tumors.
Several times throughout his various treatments, Graybeal’s team members called to explain his scans and how his cancer was responding to the medicines. He particularly appreciated when Chris Hoimes, DO, called him before the weekend so that he could share the results with his family.
“There were many times where I’d have an appointment with Dr. Hoimes on a Monday, but he'd call me or Thursday or Friday at 6:00 at night and say, ‘Hey, Joel, I got the scan. I don't want you to worry about it. We’ll talk more on Monday, but I'm pleased with what I'm seeing.’”
“It's just amazing that he would call me when he didn't have to. There's an extra level of care that everybody from Duke brings to the picture,” Graybeal said.
The Graybeals Give Back
“Throughout my journey, everyone at Duke has been nothing short of spectacular. They're kind, they're friendly. They're certainly sensitive to what I'm going through,” he said. "And to what our whole family is going through,” added Caroline.
To show their gratitude for his care, the Graybeals have set an ambitious goal to raise $250,000 that will support the mission of the Duke Cancer Institute center for Prostate and Urologic cancers, as well as the work of Hoimes and Kirkpatrick. Make a contribution today.
By D'Ann George
January 7, 2025