Musician’s Tribute to Cancer Warriors

I love living in Utah and meeting the wonderful people that live here. My heart was near to bursting when I got to experience “Stronger than Yesterday” which was made to shed light on the strength and resilience of real people battling cancer and their families. Spearheaded by Phillip Enkey, a full-time singer-songwriter and performing artist, this project stands as a testament to the healing power of music and the indomitable spirit of those facing life’s toughest challenges.

The inspiration for the song and video came from Enkey’s close friend, Kent Soper, who battled stage 4 Esophageal cancer while continuing to deliver mail on his route.

“I was in middle management at the post office over 3 yrs ago when he called in saying he would be late because he was finishing a “treatment”. I didn’t know what that meant so I asked another supervisor who said that Kent was diagnosed with stage 4 Esophageal cancer and was still delivering his mail route even during treatment. I was impressed and humbled by this.”

Enkey, moved by Soper’s unwavering strength, decided to create a song that would not only honor his friend but also capture the stories of others fighting cancer. Soper unfortunately passed away in 2023, but his legacy lives on through this heartfelt tribute.

“I then interviewed dozens of individuals and families that were fighting cancer, beat cancer, or had lost someone they loved to cancer. I consider these interviews sacred experiences. I sat in my kitchen with my guitar and the notes from my interviews and wrote this song. Then I was connected with Vincent Pelina, a tremendously resourceful and gifted videographer and producer and we began working on the music video.”

Enkey, alongside the talented crew comprising Vincent Pelina and Randy Slaugh, embarked on a journey to document the lives of cancer warriors in their own environments. Filming took place over two days at the homes and workplaces of individuals featured in the video, aiming to authentically portray their daily struggles and triumphs.

The musician emphasized the profound impact of the project, attributing its success to the genuine stories of ordinary people facing the relentless challenges of a formidable disease. Enkey humbly acknowledged that the true heroes were those like Kent Soper, Hoa Nguyen, Jenn Booth, and Megan Perez, whose stories of resilience and humanity captivated audiences.

Despite the deeply emotional subject matter, the biggest challenge for Enkey was creating a storyboard and presentation that would do justice to the cancer warriors. He felt a “sacred pressure” to deliver a video that went beyond mere entertainment, providing a resource and tool for those undergoing cancer treatments and their families.

“I didn’t want this to be another song with a catchy hook and a stylish visual. I wanted this to be a visually stimulating resource and tool for those people sitting with chemo treatment running through their veins, or laying in a radiation machine or preparing their wills and for their families. Trying to create a video that would actually be useful to them, that might actually help them in some small way felt like a very difficult thing to do.”

The most memorable moment during the production occurred while filming Kent Soper at his home. Enkey recounted the touching scene where Soper pointed to a picture of himself and his wife, symbolizing the deep meaning it held for him amidst his battle for life.

“I was moved to emotion so I stepped back into the back of the family room so I wouldn’t be a distraction. This man is literally fighting for his life and I wish I could do more for him.”

Reflecting on the experience, Enkey expressed the lesson learned – to act with urgency when something is important and can help people. “There were many reason to not make this video, money, time, resources, scheduling. But when something is this important I have learned to have more urgency and focus so that it can help as many people as possible as quickly as possible.”

Enkey encouraged aspiring individuals in the production space to ignore excuses, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the reasons for pursuing their passions and seeking help from others with the necessary skills.

Enkey invites audiences to connect with the message. His music is available on various streaming platforms, and he encourages viewers to share the video with anyone in need of strength and inspiration. “I am not a videographer, producer, editor, sound engineer, studio producer, set director or anything that really requires training haha I’m just a musician who sings songs on my guitar at local markets and weddings. But I found people who had skills that I don’t have and asked them to help me.”

As “Stronger than Yesterday” is an official selection of the Utah International Film Festival.