INTRODUCING

CHRIS STEIN

A Life of Service

Chris Stein has spent his professional career as a pastor, clinical healthcare chaplain/counselor, and a local and national event worship leader.  A pastoral transfer brought Chris to the Pottstown area 22 years ago where he found a great place to raise a family and call home.

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Chris was first diagnosed with a brain tumor at 27 years old in 2001. It was resected but a stroke during the surgery complicated his recovery and the location of the tumor necessitated the removal of areas of the brain that control and retain music memory and recall.  After waking up Chris found out that he had no memory of any music, including the CDs he had recorded.  He also had limited fine motor control so his ability to play guitar was greatly impacted and he had to spend some time at an in-patient physical rehab center.  An oncology treatment resulted in a bone disease which necessitated the removal of necrotic bone and the replacement of a hip and femur.  This all ultimately resulted in his no longer being able to continue to travel for music.  But God is good and Chris was able to recover enough ability to serve as a spokesman/event host/performer for the National Brain Tumor Society and played and spoke at events in the Northeast.  It was at this time that he met his wife, also a brain tumor survivor.

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Fast forward to 2006  the original grade 2 diffuse astrocytoma was back with a new grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma.  Treatment for this went much better and he continued in his clinical residency while having surgery and receiving treatments on his residency lunch hour in the hospital. 

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In the Fall of 2021 Chris was diagnosed with his 4th brain tumor but it did not encapsulate as a normal tumor would.  It spread through the right side in the remaining brain tissue then crossed into the brain stem and into the left hemisphere.  The cancer was considered inoperable and treatment options were limited.  A second round of full brain radiation, though risky, was felt as the best option in addition to chemotherapy and immunotherapies.  This did result in radiation damage and radiation induced Parkinsonism.  This is an umbrella term for several disease processes and symptoms can be drawn from any of them.

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Chemo and immunotherapy infusions continue to this day in the goal of extending life for him to spend with his amazing wife and incredible 10 year old son.  Chris has returned to healthcare and hospice work, his first position after graduating his residency.  He serves currently as a hospice educator for a national senior living company with the goal of getting hospice services in place for anyone who might benefit from them.  He would love to talk to anyone about how a loved one may be helped by these services so come find him!