Paul Studebaker: Finding His “Soul” Purpose
“We all decide at some point: what is our passion? What is our purpose? Maybe this is my purpose.” – Paul Studebaker, V Foundation Fundraiser & Cancer Thriver
Paul Studebaker, a Texas native and father of two, has an undeniable zest for life. In addition to spending quality time with his family and friends, Paul might be found on a morning run, competing on the tennis courts, kayaking with his son, or even hiking through the mountains of Spain. Of the many adventures he’s taken in the last two and a half years, each one represents an incredible feat - Paul is living and thriving with a stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
Paul’s Diagnosis
In summer of 2022, Paul was recovering from COVID, shaking off most of the symptoms within a week, except for a prolonged tightness in his chest. After several unsuccessful interventions, he advocated for a chest x-ray, which led to additional scans, a biopsy consult, and a conversation he never saw coming.
“The surgeon said, ‘This is not COVID-related. You have lung cancer. It’s classic and unfortunately, it’s advanced. You’ve got to fight for your life at this point.’”
As a nonsmoker and lifelong exerciser, Paul was blindsided by this news. What began as an ordinary summer quickly turned into weeks of hard decisions and hard conversations. His friends and family rallied around him as he explored every option with his healthcare team. Amidst those difficult conversations about treatments and prognosis came a glimmer of hope.
While chemotherapy was the most likely course of action, his doctor offered one possible alternative, a newly-approved pill that significantly improved patients’ quality of life during treatment. “[They told me], don’t get too excited because it’s only 15% of patients. Well, I was so fortunate and blessed that I’m in the lucky 15% club. And that’s where the V Foundation comes in for me.”
Because of cancer research advancements, Paul’s team had the tools to confirm that his specific gene mutation and cancer type would respond favorably to this new medication, approved only a few years prior in March 2020. He began the treatment plan and saw the effects take action almost immediately. Within two weeks, he was mostly pain-free, resuming his running and feeling more like himself each day. “It gave me my quality of life back with a little more longevity,” said Paul.
With more than 30 lesions on his lungs and other areas of his body at the time of his diagnosis in 2022, he describes the journey as a continuous roller coaster with both good and hard days, but remains grateful for gifts of time and hope he’s been given.
Renewed Purpose in Unexpected Places
After seeing cancer research in action in his own life, Paul began exploring ways to pay it forward for other patients and families. This kicked off what he’s coined his “Soul Purpose,” a personal mission to support game-changing cancer research.
Paul set up his own Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Fundraiser through the V Foundation, an organization whose story has weaved alongside his own for many decades.
“I’m a sports guy and I’ve known who Jim Valvano was since his NC State Wolfpack beat the University of Houston (Phi Slama Jama) back in April of ’83,” said Paul. “You’ve got to root for your Texas teams!”
Although he was rooting against Jim Valvano that year, he quickly became a fan of Jim’s humor and personality as an ESPN analyst. He remembers watching Jim’s emotion-packed ESPY Awards speech in 1993 as he announced the formation of the V Foundation.
When Paul discovered Jim’s diagnosis was the very same as his own: advanced stage adenocarcinoma, he knew the V Foundation was the place he wanted to pursue his purpose. “It hit me at that point that not only did Jim Valvano do great things for cancer research that are still ongoing today, he did it for people like me.”
Paul built his event from the ground up, hosting a fundraising party, “The Greater Good for Cancer Research,” at a local country club filled with food, friends and live music. The event raised over $22,000 to benefit lifesaving cancer research through the V Foundation. Paul even had a special welcome video recorded from V Foundation Board Member Dick Vitale, a fellow cancer research advocate and thriver, whom Paul met at a Final Four tournament more than 20 years prior.
A Journey Filled with Milestones
As Paul reflects on the last several years, he exudes a sense of gratitude knowing how many milestones he’s been a part of during this time.
Of note, his daughter’s wedding in May 2024. “When I was diagnosed, the doctors said, ‘you need to come up with a goal, a time period that you want to get to’. And I said, ‘I already know. It’s not just a goal, there’s no question. I have to be there and walk my daughter down the aisle.’” Paul shared that special moment with his daughter and has spent the last year continuing to live life fully with his family by his side. He also remains optimistic that with more time and funding for research, new options will continue to offer hope for patients just like him.
In fact, at a scan appointment in April 2025, he achieved a milestone neither he nor his doctors could have predicted: his cancer had diminished in scope so significantly that it is now isolated to his right lung and tissue area only, a true testament to research in action.
