Six Months to Live: A Houston Entrepreneur's Story

What do you do when you’re told you have six months to live? Dewey Stringer, a Houston entrepreneur and community leader, faced this question after decades building businesses in the oil industry and banking. 

In this episode, Dewey shares how he fought back against a dire cancer diagnosis, pioneered new treatments at MD Anderson and Baylor, and turned his journey into hope for others.

Learn more about Adopt-a-Scientist here.

To learn more about Integrity Bank, go to itx.bank.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Key Takeaways

1. Dewey Stringer’s journey reflects the importance of resilience, whether navigating the ups and downs of the oil and gas industry or confronting a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. His ability to adapt—pivoting business models and embracing new technologies, and later, embracing experimental medical treatments—shows that persistence coupled with openness to change is vital for long-term success and survival.

2. Dewey’s experience as an early beneficiary of immunotherapy highlights the transformative potential of cutting-edge medical research. His story underscores how scientific breakthroughs (like checkpoint inhibitors) can turn dire prognoses around, and stresses the importance of supporting research and clinical trials that advance healthcare.

3. Strong personal and professional relationships were central to Dewey’s survival and ability to help others. His story illustrates how community connections—whether with friends, fellow business owners, or medical professionals—create networks of support and knowledge-sharing that can save lives and foster collective progress.

4. A major message from Dewey’s experience is the necessity of paying attention to health symptoms and prioritizing regular physical checkups and specific medical screenings. Early detection dramatically improves treatment outcomes for conditions like cancer; neglecting symptoms can have serious, even fatal, consequences.

5. Dewey transformed his personal battle into broader impact by helping hundreds of others navigate the cancer treatment process and by supporting medical research through philanthropy. His involvement, including founding the “Adopt a Scientist, Cure Cancer” initiative, shows how individuals can leverage their experiences and resources to drive positive change and advance life-saving research for the entire community.

Timestamped Overview

00:00 Serendipitous Film Role Encounter

04:35 From Student to Oil Entrepreneur

08:03 "Confronting Cancer Amid Career Focus"

13:22 "Personal Triumph in Clinical Trial"

16:07 "Touring Labs During Cancer Battle"

18:10 Turning On T Cells Against Cancer

21:37 Early Detection: Crucial for Cancer Prevention

25:26 Podcast Highlights Community Banking Impact

28:53 Sincere Gratitude for Selfless Support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.