A rhythm and a reason to survive colorectal cancer

Chuck Deen has spent 38 years conducting the soundtrack of young lives. As the current band director at North Augusta High School, he’s used to keeping time, but on Dec. 9, 2025, his time nearly ran out.

Ironically, it wasn’t a doctor’s appointment that saved him, it was a flight of stairs.

“I was going up the stairs, got to the top, lost my balance and fell backwards,” Deen said.

That fall landed him in the Emergency Room at Wellstar MCG Health, where doctors were checking for fractures and brain bleeds. They didn’t find a broken bone, but they noticed something else: Deen was breathing differently. Further scans revealed a “baseball-sized” tumor in his colon that was pushing his stomach into his lungs.

The diagnosis was colorectal cancer and a follow-up appointment with an oncologist at the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University and Wellstar MCG Health.

For a man who loves his students and his craft, “giving up” wasn’t on the setlist. When initial consultations suggested that permanent chemotherapy might be his only option, Deen pushed back.

“Well, that’s not really what I wanted to hear,” he said. “I told the physician that I wanted surgery because I can be an aggressive person when it comes to my health and the treatment options for a cancer diagnosis. I asked for help finding the most aggressive surgeon, because I am not ready to die.”

Two days later, Deen got a phone call from colorectal surgeon at Wellstar MCG Swadha Guru, MD. When he asked her what she would want if their roles were reversed, she said she thought surgery would be a good option for his cancer. Using the advanced daVinci robotic surgery system, Guru successfully removed the cancer and reconnected Deen’s bowels allowing his system to work like normal.

Today, at 62 years old, Deen is cancer-free, calling himself a “walking miracle” as he heads back to school teaching the next generation of musicians.

Deen is the first to admit he missed the warning signs. Like many, he assumed it wouldn’t happen to him and had never been tested. He had been struggling with digestive issues for five months, relying on a common over-the-counter fix.

“If you realize there’s something wrong with your body and you’re eating Imodium like Tic Tacs … there’s something wrong,” he said.

Now, Deen is using his story to urge everyone, especially young people and those around the age of 30, to talk with their family doctor when something doesn’t feel right with their health. Early detection saves lives, and if someone is experiencing persistent digestive changes or has reached the recommended screening age, they need to consult their physician.

Deen also emphasized being mindful of what we put in our bodies, specifically pointing to the rise of energy drinks and highly processed foods.

While the technology saved his body, it was the human connection that sustained his spirit. From the humor he shares with his students to the daily texts from fellow band directors across the country, Deen’s journey has been defined by community.

At the end of every practice, he now makes sure to tell his students his life is better because he gets to teach and mentor them everyday. It’s a message he carries for his doctors, his team at Wellstar and anyone currently facing a diagnosis.

“Life is too short to not have humor,” Deen said. “And thanks to a lucky fall and a brilliant surgical team, I have many more movements left to conduct.”