Pastor, husband, father collapses in airport and gets diagnosis he never imagined

By TJ Banes, IU Health Senior Journalist

In August, Rhett Morehouse learned why he had some unexplainable symptoms

Rhett Morehouse and his wife, Molly, had just arrived at Indianapolis International Airport when Rhett collapsed. He was rushed to IU Health Methodist Hospital, where several pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

They were returning from a short business trip to Atlanta when Rhett began mixing his words and shaking. It was late August and a month earlier, the couple had taken a trip to Hawaii. Rhett had taken a hard knock when high waves took him down in the water. At the time they questioned if he had sustained a concussion.

Those mixed words continued. At a football scrimmage Rhett couldn’t tell someone his son’s number. He also had a chronic cough like a tickle in his throat.

Looking back, his wife also remembers Rhett getting a little irritable at work. Molly is the founder of “Made by Molly” a business dedicated to producing trendy apparel for babies and children. Rhett has dedicated his career to the ministry and now works in the family business.

On the day he collapsed at the airport, Rhett was in the ER and experienced a second seizure. A CAT scan showed lesions on his brain. A larger tumor – 7.5 centimeter – was found on his left lung. He was admitted to neuro ICU with a total of 35 tumors in his brain. He later learned he had a total of 43 tumors on his brain.

Rhett was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis is the most common subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, making up about 40 percent of all lung cancer cases. It typically develops in the outer regions of the lung from mucus-producing cells, and it is the primary type of lung cancer seen in non-smokers, women and younger adults.

“He never smoked, and has never been around chemicals, radon or asbestos,” said Molly.

On September 2, Rhett started whole brain radiation and is the care of IU Health radiation oncologist Kevin Shiue.

But Rhett’s story didn’t start there.

A 2003 graduate of Lafayette William Henry Harrison High School, Rhett participated in football and track, and wrestled the140-pound weight class.

“After a shoulder injury, I began partying and making bad decisions,” said Rhett. “I remember walking up to a party and I got a call that there was an open spot at a Young Life Camp.” He wrote a check and left five days later. It was July 2003 and Rhett said his life was forever changed. Young Life is a Christian ministry for middle, high, school and college students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries around the world.

That camp experience changed his life.

“I came to know God at a time when I hurt my shoulder and was supposed to be in wrestling. I never grew up in a church or read the bible but here I was at a church camp in Michigan.”

He went on to receive his undergraduate degree in kinesiology with minors in organizational skills and religious studies from Purdue University and earned a Master of Divinity from Anderson University. Rhett pursued a career in worship music and youth ministry serving at Trader’s Point Christian Church, Kingsway Christian Church, and Indian Creek Church.

On a 107-degree day in July 2012, Rhett and Molly were married in downtown Indianapolis in the former “Sanctuary on Penn.” They are now the parents to two boys and two girls ages 11 to 7.

Since his diagnosis, Rhett has been open about his faith, saying, “We know God has a testimony and we’re trusting his plan.”

While undergoing radiation, the family learned that Rhett’s cancer is ALK positive – a rare type of non-cell lung cancer caused by a genetic mutation. It accounts for about two to five percent of non-small cell lung cancers and is often diagnosed in younger adults and people who have never smoked or are light smokers. While it is not considered curable, there are ways to manage the disease.

Because the mutation is targetable, Rhett will continue with specialized oral drugs (ALK Inhibitors).

On the day they learned of this update, Molly wrote: “today we are thanking God for modern medicine, hope, and what feels like another chance at life.”

Since then, Rhett has focused on maintaining some normalcy in his family life. They recently enjoyed a trip to Disney and Rhett continues to focus on life as a husband, and father of four.