Rick White Battling Cancer; Church Hangs Tough with Him

Rick White is the pastor of The People's Church in Franklin.  He was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and few weeks ago and told he would lose his hair by next week.

Rather than let his hair fall out, he made an appointment to have his head shaved with Teresa Hughes, a church member and hair stylist in Brentwood.

"A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma," White told News 2.  "They told me by the [March 17], [my hair] would be coming out, that's why I decided to do it now."

Shortly after learning of the diagnosis, Pastor White announced it to his church and they have rallied around him.

"This is not changing who I am," he said Thursday as Hughes buzzed his head. "I told my church and my friends I am not going to let cancer define me."

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma has a very high cure rate and White is confident he will beat it.

In addition, White feels he will be able to relate better to people who are going through their own battles with cancer.

"It's more about my sensitivity as a pastor to people with cancer.  I've been very surprised that once I'm on this side, how I was there for them, but was not really there for them," he said.  "There's just certain things about it that you don't understand about it until you are part of the disease."