Special Request to our Sacred Art Community
Joe Richter, our dear friend and colleague, has been diagnosed with kidney cancer. Please use the form section below to send him your healing thoughts and prayers during this challenging time.
For more than 25 years Joe Richter has been an invaluable part of Sacred Art of Living. His amazing talents have helped create so much of what our healing organization has become. Moreover, everyone who works with Joe appreciates his kind and generous spirit. His recent diagnosis of Stage 3 Kidney Cancer is a shock to our family and to all who love him. He is a candidate for immunotherapy treatments which could lead to a hopeful prognosis. In the meantime, we invite our community to send messages of prayerful support for Joe, his family and our SALC team.
Richard Groves,
Joe’s step dad, work partner and closest friend
Update - Joe’s Cancer Journey - Jun 2, 2025
Hello Dear Friends,
This is Joe, and oh, how I miss you all! I miss the good work we do together, the laughter, the stories, and the sense of purpose we share. Your prayers and kindness have meant the world to me and my family, and I can’t thank you enough for lifting us up during this time.
It’s been about 47 days since our Spain Pilgrimage ended, and as some of you might know, I wasn’t feeling too great on the trip. Turns out, my body was trying to tell me something big—on the very first day back home, I went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with cancer. A real gut punch, right? Since then, I’ve spent 23 days in the hospital, plus another 8 days at doctor appointments, figuring out the best path forward. Today, I want to share with you where things stand and the decisions Kristi and I have had to make.
I have stage 3 renal cell carcinoma clear cell (RCC)—kidney cancer in my right kidney. The cancer has formed a large clot that stretches up my inferior vena cava, connecting to my liver and sitting near the entrance of my heart. Because of how it’s positioned, surgery isn’t an option right now. But let me tell you, I’m not ready throw in the towel—I still have so much to do!
Our best option is a brand-new immunotherapy treatment designed to go after this kind of cancer specifically, shrinking it down and pulling that clot away from my vital organs. If it works, then surgery could become a possibility.
Kristi and I have been surrounded by an incredible medical team—these folks have consulted with the top cancer centers and universities across the country, digging deep to find a solution for my unique case. They aren’t leaving a single stone unturned, and I’m holding on to hope with all my might.
All my life, I’ve wanted to serve God’s people. And through it all, I’ve been blessed with love—love of family, love of friends, and the gift of meeting and embracing so many wonderful souls across the world. I am determined to beat this and keep walking the path God has set before me.
Our family is deeply rooted in faith, and bound by great love. This journey has brought Kristi and me even closer together, in a love deeper than we ever thought possible. And come this fall, my son will become a father—I’ve got a grandson on the way! I can’t wait to hold him, to teach him, to see him catch his first fish, to watch him grow. I will beat this.
While in the hospital this past week, I met a man who was cleaning the room and we got to talking about what I am facing. He suggested a meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn. My visualization is that in my body right now are cancer carrots in my right kidney and thrombus in the inferior vena cava. To combat these cancer carrots, I send out chemo bunnies to eat and destroy all the cancer carrots. I believe these bunnies are shrinking this cancer and thrombus. Who knows, if you all join me in visualizing it with your good prayers and unlimited healing energy, perhaps it will eliminate it all entirely. Are you in?
Finally, from the very bottom of my heart, I am overwhelmed and humbled by your prayers of kindness, healing, love, and support. We have let it in, you have carried us through this, and “thank you” doesn’t even begin to cover how grateful I feel. A big shout out to those who have given so generously to Sacred Art of Living Center, ensuring we can keep doing our good work together— your kindness, generosity and compassion means everything.
Thank you angel friends, for continuing to lift us to our feet when our spirits have trouble remembering how to fly.
With love,
Joe & Kristi
Please submit your healing thoughts and prayers for Joe using the form below. Please note: all comments will be subject to approval due to security and spam protection and will be published as soon as possible.
Dear Joe an Kristi Just wanted you send big huge healing hugs to share. I volunteer at Mayo clinic in Jacksonville Florida where we moved from San Diego a few years back. I do the work with transplant patients and hospice patients and families. I see every week the courage and determination it takes to go through those tough times. You are surrounded with Love and a new born soon to come and it will support and guide you through..The only way out is through day after day with patience and lo
Dear Joe and Richard, Unceasing gratitude to you both for all that you have given, are giving, and will give to this planet. May I suggest a non-allopathic complimentary therapy that can aid your journey? This is Epic Energy Center in Bend: 205 NW Franklin Ave, Bend, OR 97702 (541) 449-9829 info@epicenergycenters.com Check out their facility and see what you intuit. I share this because after working with a center in Santa Barbara for 3 years, we have seen miracles in cancer remission.
Hi Joe, Sending you all possible reception of the love and prayers constantly heading your way! We’re all in this together dear one. Had a great adventure with “tumor carrots”, and “immunotherapy bunnies” confusing the carrots “mission” and then sending them into evaporation! It felt really great! Hope you are feeling great too. Much love and many hugs, Horti. No you don’t know me but you’ve been helping me access SALC from CA many many years. Thanks!!!
Dear Joe, Both my husband Robert and I wish and pray for you to make a speedy and thorough recovery. Take good care of you during this time of focused healing, knowing that you are in the Creator’s hands and they are holding you mightily.. with love and prayers cheryl waitkevich and robert jorgensen
Dear Joe, I am sending big love your way and holding you and your family close. Let the healing continue. I am glad you have a dedicated team and I love that the hospital staff are all on your side. More bunnies! I will continue to pray for you and Kristi and your family as well as the SALC staff. And thank you for all you continue to do for all of us.
Dear Joe, I have very fond memories traveling with you on one of the pilgrimages with Richard. May the light and and love of the healing spirit be with you today and always. Michelle
Hey Joe, we continue to think about you, pray for you, and send out clutches of brawny bunnies to decimate your cancer carrot patches (ever seen Guardians with the Easter bunny, Santa, tooth fairy, etc?). May they be effective and efficient. Much love, my friend.
Dear Joe, you are in my heart and mind each day as you face this huge challenge. May all of the love, care, supprort, encouragement, steadfastness, that you have showered on all who know you come back to you now in bucketfuls! Le grá agus beannacht from Brigid country.
Joe and Kristi, Kristi’s Alaska cousin here. Praying for you. God is good and ever faithful. Praying He shower you with grace and great peace as you move forward in your treatment. Love from Debi
Dear Dear Joe, I just read your courageous words and am deeply moved by your can spirit, your unshakable faith and determination. Am so glad to hear about your excellent medical team and care. And indeed, you are surrounded by so much love on ALL levels. What you have given to all of us is returning you thousandfold! And YES! Your grandson will love receiving your joy, and wisdom. Carrot eating bunnies, here we come! With deep gratitude and with prayers for healing , Liba
Dear Richard as a father myself I can relate to your concern for your son Joe. Please know that all of Joes medical team are Divinely quidded ant the absolute perfect outcome and treatment are already in place, and so it is. I meet you and Joe at the Eisenhower retreat. I have requested as a member of our prayer team at the Spiritual Center of Palm Desert to pray for you and Joe.Love Bud
Dear Joe, In so many ways you personify the gifts of the Sacred Art of Living center. Your heart and spirit show up in everything you do. I especially remember your joyful presence on the 2019 Irish pilgrimage, and your steadfast patience and smiling service in the the years I’ve known you in gracefully responding to requests for technical help big and small. You are an icon of God’s love and joy. I hold you and Kristi and all your family in my daily prayers for healing. Immanaire
Hi Joe, I am sending strength, courage and healing to you at this time I say the following Buddhist prayer daily and I will include you now going forward. Say it for yourself first with the “I” message and then with “ you “ for the whole of humanity especially our Anam Cara Community May you be well May you know inner happiness May you know compassion and love May you be at peace
Dear Joe, Please know that I have loved and followed the work of the SAL team for many years and thank you so much for sharing your journey. I am holding you and your family in my heart and praying for healing for your highest good. With love and many blessings, Gail.
May God’s healing powers provide the miracle cure that is needed for Joe to achieve a 100% cure from this kidney cancer! The Lord himself goes before Joe and will never leave him or abandon him. He is a refuge in the storm, a rock that provides a secure foundation in this fight against cancer. May God extend his peace upon Joe and his family during this difficult time.
Joe, I’ve been in shock, grieving and mostly speechless, since hearing the news of this major health challenge. I hope and pray that any barriers to the tsunami of love from all those who have had the joy of knowing you bursts those walls and you the sure knowing of what a wonderful, vastly loved person you are. I know your soul is held in eternal love and care. May your body be healed. I owe you a prickly pear margarita.
Wishing Joe moments of peace, powerful healing, and waves of support from his grateful community.
May you be well, dear one. May you feel the love that surrounds you.
Hello Joe, I just wanted to tell you I am rooting for you and sending thoughts and prayers for strength, peace and healing. Your kind, gentle and loving presence made me feel immediately welcome on the pilgrimage. You are a gift to all those who know you. I am making a donation to SALC. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to ease your burden. Blessings of love and peace, Kimberlee
Joe, you and your step dad blessed us with your retreat at Eisenhower Hospital, and I send that blessing back in kind. I am originally from Seattle I know you are in the best of hands there. And so I send you a prayer and blessing of courage now. May the courage of Jesus, who lived truly and nobly and fearlessly be yours and yours in abundance. May you be given the strength you need, and patience and wisdom when you need it. All will be well, all manner of thing will be well.