Staff Bios

The Our Journey of Hope® staff members possess an understanding of the gravity of cancer and the effects it has on cancer patients and their families. They're from different cultural, racial and religious backgrounds, but the one thing they have in common is a heartfelt desire and willingness to help support cancer patients and their families in their battle against cancer. They possess a genuine desire to help support by listening, encouraging, and offering prayers with the understanding that the real healer is God.

We consider ourselves one large family that is blessed and thankful for our diversity, and we believe that when one family member suffers, we all pull together. We freely embrace this great opportunity to walk alongside our family members. We look forward to listening, offering encouragement and prayers on behalf of those affected by cancer. We thank you for the opportunity to extend hope beyond the hospital doors and into every home affected by cancer.

Rev. Percy W. McCray has been the Director of Pastoral Care at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center since 1997. As a fully ordained minister, he is a member of the United States Chaplain Association (USCA) and is an executive board member for Eternal Light Ministries in Chicago.

In addition, he is the founder and pastor of VALOR Faith Ministries in Waukegan, Illinois and is active in many outreach programs throughout the region. The goals for his outreach ministry take it into the social realm, aiming to develop a sense of responsibility and pride, especially among young people.

Rev. McCray attended Rhema Bible Training Center in Oklahoma and received additional pastoral training at The Inter-Denominational Coalition of Christian Churches in Detroit, Michigan and at The Executive Council of the Church of God, in Anderson, Indiana. He has been named "one of the most influential African Americans in Lake County" by the People's Voice newspaper.

Rev. Michael A. Langham has been the Director of Pastoral Care for Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southwestern Regional Medical Center since 1995. He believes that one of the strongest medicines is hope, and that it is as critical to spiritual, mental, and physical health as conventional medical treatments are to physical recovery. Rev. Langham states, "To fail to treat the whole of a patient's spirit, mind, and body, is to fail to wholly treat the patient."

Rev. Langham holds a degree in pastoral care from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma and a standard teacher diploma from Evangelical Training Association, Wheaton, Illinois. He earned his clinical pastoral education credits through Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Rev. Langham is also a certified Grief and Bereavement Facilitator and a member in good standing of the United States Chaplains Association, the American Academy of Bereavement and the Grief Recovery Institute.

Active in ministry since 1984, Rev. Langham served as Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church, Elsmere, Kentucky, and as Associate Pastor and Minister of Christian Education at Living Image Christian Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma before joining Cancer Treatment Centers of America. He currently serves as minister, and Membership Care Ministry Head at From The Heart Church Ministries of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Learning to overcome difficulties and walk with God through the unexplained are two of the lessons Lyn Thompson gleaned through the death of her first husband and a bout with cancer. She brings the wisdom extracted from those experiences and others, as well as the skills developed through close to 25 years in public relations, to her position as spiritual outreach coordinator in Tulsa.

Lyn began her walk with the Lord in high school. She and her husband of 14 years lived on a 16-acre farm and were parents to four daughters, aged 7-13, when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1984. Three years later, Lyn was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy and six months of chemotherapy. Through the trials and the years since, she and her girls "have seen a bigger and greater God than we would have ever seen if we hadn't gone through all we did. He is awesome, and His care and provision beyond expectation. He is the God of all hope."

After 18 years as a widow, she is now married to her high school sweetheart and is enjoying her roles as wife and grandmother.

A graduate of Arizona State University, she was named outstanding woman graduate in journalism in 1969. Throughout her professional career, she has won numerous state, regional and national awards for her work from organizations such as the International Association of Business Communicators and the National Association of Press Women. Additionally, she has four years teaching experience at Christian schools and enjoys leading women's retreats for churches. Ministry activities have included heading up a citywide prayer team and leading women's and lay ministry areas at her church.

Author of three books to encourage and strengthen patients and their caregivers in their battle with cancer, Rev. Dr. Michael S. Barry joined CTCA as Director of Pastoral Care at Eastern Regional Medical Center when it opened in November 2005.

His journey with Christ began in his late twenties, in the midst of a successful business career in Texas. In his mid-30s, he responded to God's call to ministry. Dr. Barry is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, having served several Presbyterian churches in Arkansas, Texas and Illinois.

Married and the father of two, he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, his master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1990 and his doctor of ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1999.

Dr. Barry is currently scheduled to serve as the principal investigator for two research projects on the topic of forgiveness as it relates to cancer patients, with the first estimated to begin in the Summer 2008. He is a featured seminar speaker on topics including "Spirituality and Health" and "Forgiveness: Healing for the Body and Soul."

His philosophy of caregiving for cancer patients is based upon the Christian concept of joy and is the subject of his latest book, The Art of Caregiving.

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