In the spring of 2025, Paul Miller visited his doctor in Covington for his annual physical and bloodwork. He works out regularly and is passionate about fitness. He felt great and thought it would be another routine visit. However, his PSA number had been climbing for several years, and this time it had crossed the threshold where his doctor wanted to take a closer look. He had no symptoms, no family history of prostate cancer, and no reason to think anything was wrong.
Paul underwent a biopsy that revealed early-stage prostate cancer. He remembers the day he got that phone call.
“There’s no real hurry, but you need to do something,” Paul remembers being told.
That window gave him space to think and to talk with the people closest to him. His close friend, Michelle, offered some of the most important advice Paul would ever receive.
Michelle works in the office of Dr. Andrew Elson, a radiation oncologist at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington. She had watched Paul take care of himself in the gym for years, and when she heard the diagnosis, she told Paul that radiation was the path she would choose if she were in his shoes, and she highly recommended Dr. Elson over at Mary Bird Perkins.
Her advice was just the guidance that Paul needed.
After meeting with Dr. Elson, Paul felt confident in his treatment plan and moved forward with five radiation treatments at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington. The Cancer Center, located at 1203 S. Tyler Street, was conveniently located near his home and made treatment so much easier. Paul didn’t need to travel to New Orleans or Baton Rouge to get the care he needed.
He also went on Lupron, a hormone therapy that reduced his testosterone during his treatment. The treatments made his workouts harder, but Paul kept going to the gym, kept paying attention to his nutrition and kept his focus on the finish line.
What stood out to Paul throughout his journey was the people at Mary Bird Perkins. The radiation team was so kind, putting him at ease even on the day he came in with an unexpected complication from a dermatology procedure earlier that morning. Dr. Elson was very patient and attentive. Dr. Elson’s nurse, Brianna, was always quick to answer his emails and questions.
And then there was Roy.
Roy Hills works in guest services at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington. He is often the first person patients see when they walk through the door. With his friendly demeanor, Roy made a great impression on Paul each time he visited the Cancer Center.
“He just radiates kindness,” Paul said. “When you’re going in for treatment, you’re worried and anxious and you’re scared. And Roy just had this really profound effect on me. I’m so very grateful for him.”
That warmth carried Paul through seven months of treatment. On the morning of his final appointment, Paul and his wife sat across from Dr. Elson and heard the number they had been hoping for. His PSA had dropped to 0.4. The cancer was gone.
Paul rang the bell that same morning. He rang it for his family, his friends and for Mary Bird Perkins’ staff members like Roy who made all the difference in his cancer journey.
For patients like Paul, the choice to seek care at Mary Bird Perkins in Covington meant convenient access to expert radiation oncology, a clear treatment plan, and a team that treated him like a family member from the moment he walked through the door. It is the kind of care Mary Bird Perkins is committed to providing every patient, every day.
To learn more about Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington, visit marybird.org/Covington.
