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 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.
Love and gratitude for you, Joe. And prayers for healing, wholeness and happiness. I’m so grateful to have gotten to know you on our Spain pilgrimage. Your friendship is a blessing.
God please bless Joe with health and comfort during this terrible illness. We lift him up to you and ask that he experience your gentle embrace and feel the love pouring his way from his Sacred Heart Family.
Sending you both healing thoughts and powerful prayers! I met you at Eisenhower Hospital in March and loved every minute of the gift you gave to us. I pray that you feel God’s loving arms around you as you carry this cross! I am having a Mass said for your strength and return to health! Wishing you to feel much love on this journey, Carol Wells
Dear Joe, It was a blessing to be with you on our travels. I appreciated your kindness and humor. Also I appreciated the countless times I called you about computer problems. You were always willing to go the extra mile. I just talked to Christie’s cousin Mary Hansen. We are all praying for you. Love and prayers of healing, Marijean Heutmaker
Dear Joe, I am so sorry that you are going through this extremely challenging health crisis. May you find healing and courage as you continue to travel this difficult road. I will continue to pray for you and your loved ones. May you be blessed in a thousand ways. Thank you for all your work with SALC, a truly wonderful organization. I will try again to make a donation on Monday.
Dear Joe, Your kindness, humor, gentleness, always ready assistance and love are hallmark characteristics that come to mind when I think of you. As you go through this scary, painful and difficult time, I will be holding you in my heart and sending unbounded healing energy. Please know how much you are loved and valued. Hugs, Susie Hickperson
Dear Joe, we met when your mom began working with Richard, light years ago. I recognized your loving and generous spirit then, and it sounds like it has continued to unfold over the years. Thank you so much or all that you’ve contributed through SALC, and onto thousands of the rest of us whose spirituality has been deepened. Our lives have been better because of you, Richard, your Mom, and so many others. Blessings be upon you, dear one! Sending you peace, and every good, Terry Morton
Joe, Richard, and SALC family, You are all in my thoughts and prayers. You have been a touchstone, a beacon of light in my life, and an inspiration. All my hopes for strength, and healing, and peace as you navigate these troubled waters. Sending love always. Meg
Sending you many prayers and keeping you in my thoughts. Joe – you were so much a part of my anamcara journey back in 2011….your encouragement, kindness, genuine caring meant so much to me. Thank you for ALL you have done to make this program successful and welcoming.