My Dad, the Deacon

My chest ceased into a tight ball that evening in October when Dad told our family he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

​Just three weeks previous, his childhood friend had died of stage 4 pancreatic cancer. And in just three weeks my parents planned to move from their Winnipeg home to Calgary to be closer to me and my two siblings and our families.

Dear Lord, I thought, I am so confused by Your timing. After living apart from my parents for 20 years, this anticipated reunion was now being put into question and the future seemed uncertain.  

Nine months later, I am here to say that Dad fought the battle for his life. He underwent a major surgery and six months of chemotherapy. Then in a 24-hour span,  he finished treatment on July 31 and began his new assignment as Deacon Rick Loftson with St. Bernard and Our Lady of the Assumption Parishes in Calgary on August 1, 2024.  ​​

The Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment 

Back in October, my mother, Joyce Loftson, had noticed my father had unusually bright yellow skin; skin that was becoming increasingly itchy all over.

Often pancreatic cancer is not caught until it’s in a late stage because it grows hidden without warning signs. But by God’s grace, Dad’s growth was obstructing his bile duct, causing noticeable symptoms. His family doctor ordered up the scans and tests, and he got into the queue for a Whipple surgery. 

Whipple surgery is a major operation to remove the head of the pancreas, part of the small intestine, gallbladder and bile duct. Surgical consultations in Winnipeg began at the same time my parents were packing up their U-Haul. With much prayer and discernment, they decided to go ahead and move to Calgary, giving up their surgery spot, and being placed back on the waiting list in Calgary. 

For me, it felt like a race against time to remove this growth before it spread any further. The move would delay the surgery but ensure Dad had a home in which to recover.

Deacon Rick Loftson leaving Foothills Hospital end of January after a three week stay post Whipple surgery.

My New Year began on a spiritually strong note, surrendering and leaning completely on the Lord for strength. Following Dad’s Whipple surgery on January 3, he spent three long weeks recovering at Foothills Hospital. Numerous complications can arise from such a major surgery. As an example of the severity of the operation, he required 41 staples to mend the incision the length of much of his torso. 

Dad braved chemotherapy treatment only a month after he was discharged from hospital post-surgery. While the tumor had been successfully removed, we hoped chemotherapy would capture any possible rogue cancerous cells traveling through his lymphatic system. 

There were definitely hard days where Dad suffered swelling, rashes, neuropathy, nausea, loss of appetite, and more. He lost 50 lbs in nine months.

Sanctification through Suffering  
​I was struck by my parents’ fortitude, courage, humility, and surrender throughout this entire diagnosis and treatment. While Dad couldn’t formally begin his ministry right away in Calgary post-Whipple surgery, he intentionally accompanied his hospital roommate Debbie. As a fallen away Catholic, Debbie began joining my parents for Mass upon discharge. 

In his suffering, Dad taught his family the value of faith and gratitude, never complaining about his lot. He remained hopeful and positive, pushing himself to do small things with great love; like getting up to sit at the dinner table with us when it felt excruciating to walk or nearly impossible to bend his swollen hand to hold a fork from the effect of the chemotherapy drugs.   

Ordained as a Permanent Deacon by Archbishop Albert LeGatt of Archdiocese of St. Boniface.

Cancer had overshadowed my parents’ move from their lifelong hometown – a huge transition at their age. It’s the place where my mom served as a dietitian for 40 years. It’s the place where my dad owned and operated independent toy stores for two decades, and worked as an accountant in the Winnipeg film industry after completing a late-in-life film degree. It’s where my parents met and raised their children: Christopher, Samantha, and myself. It’s where my Dad had his conversion from essentially atheism to Catholicism in his 40s.

On August 9, 2018, he was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of St. Boniface. He credits my mom’s steadfast faith for being the gateway to God working in his life. And he credits my mom’s steadfast support for anchoring and buoying him during his cancer journey. ​

“I am very appreciative of (everyone’s) prayers. I feel them,” Deacon Rick said. “I am a lucky man to have Joyce beside me and helping me through all of this. She is one of the many graces God has provided me. I am so thankful for those graces. Life is good.” 

Dad begins his next chapter as Calgary Diocese deacon and cancer survivor. In two weeks, he will get his first scan post treatment to check for cancer. Your prayers truly are appreciated.   

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Written by Sara Francis for Faithfully. Sara is a writer living in Calgary with her husband Ben and their six children. They attend St. Bernard's / Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. 

Photos courtesy of Sara Francis & family.