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A Texas man who recently learned he likely had fewer than 18 months to live amid his battle with cancer is using the time he has left trying to voluntarily perform community service – including feeding people who are unhoused – in each of the US’s 50 states.
Doug Ruch, 55, of San Antonio, said he embarked on what he named the “dying to serve tour” after his terminal diagnosis made him reflect on things he could have “done differently or better”.
“I can’t go back, but I can go forward and help as many people as possible before I go,” said Ruch, whose story has gained attention in areas of the internet which are dedicated to uplifting news.
As it says on his tour’s website and has been reported elsewhere in the news media, doctors diagnosed Ruch with prostate cancer in early 2021. The former solar industry professional spent his life savings paying to undergo treatment for the illness, something he said he could not avoid because of the US’s “broken” healthcare system.
Nonetheless, Ruch was informed at the beginning of the year that the cancer had metastasized – or spread elsewhere in his body – while also progressing to its deadly fourth stage.
“I thought to myself, I have two choices. I can sit at home and wait to die, or I can go out and live,” Ruch told the Los Angeles news station KABC.
Ruch said he chose the latter. He began organizing a tour during which he would complete acts of community service while encouraging others to donate their time and money combating hunger, homelessness or the destruction of natural disasters.
As of Tuesday, since the middle of March, he had been to nine states: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California and Oregon. He had plans to get to Idaho and Washington state by 15 April.
Ruch had served lunch or dinner to people who are unhoused, elderly or medically ill; sorted and packaged goods that had been donated to food pantries; and delivered meals to homebound individuals.
He said there have been physical limitations associated with his cancer with which he has had to grapple. Yet his volunteer projects have energized him, he remarked.
Ruch said his efforts have relied on philanthropic donations. His goal, he said, was to motivate “more people across the country to volunteer in their communities”.
And, in a sense, he has had success in his campaign’s early going.
Ruch said four people joined him at a stop in San Francisco after finding out about his mission and aided him as he prepared medically tailored meals for clients of Project Open Hand, who are often battling age-related sickness or isolation.
He said he would like nothing more than for that scene to replay itself moving forward – and with more people.
“Help people and inspire more people to help people,” Ruch said while summarizing what his tour’s website described as his dying wish. “That’s it. That’s all.”
