Facing Cancer Together
- Tejano music star Ram Herrera, 66, was diagnosed with prostate cancer just months after marrying his wife, Lizé, who promised to stand beside him through treatment and uncertainty.
- In SurvivorNet’s Men Beating the Odds series, the couple shares how Lizé’s reassurance, faith, and daily affirmations helped Ram cope with the emotional toll of treatment.
- The father of five and grandfather of eight completed radiation in February 2026, and the couple says they are “still going through it”; along with his wife’s and family’s love and support, music helped renew his excitement about performing in this new chapter.
- In this heartwarming episode, Lizé reminds Ram that their marriage vows include the difficult days, and their cancer experience has deepened their commitment to spending time together and making memories. A love lesson for all.
The word cancer “knocked out my legs from under me,” Ram recalls. “And I had to accept the reality that I had it, and I didn’t know what the future was going to be like.”
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‘By His Side Every Step of the Way’
After their wedding, the couple traveled to Las Vegas to unwind and imagine their future.“We were making life plans, what we want to do and these big dreams that he has — and I still have in my career,” Lizé shares.
Then Ram became ill, thankfully went to the doctor to see what was going on, and some routine testing uncovered prostate cancer.
“All of those plans we had to put on hold,” she says.
Commitment to a Partner Includes the Difficult Days
Lizé remembers needing time to process what they had learned.
“It was a moment of confusion,” she says. “It was a moment where we had to just take a deep breath, take it in, pause and retract.”
Ram began apologizing, worried about what the diagnosis meant for their new marriage. Lizé reminded him that her commitment included the difficult days.
“I wanted to assure him that I was going to be there for him, as our vows said, for sickness or in health, to death do we part,” she says, and the experience has reminded her what matters most: spending time with the one you love to build memories.
Though she says they’re still going through it, “we’re still very dedicated to each other and I’m by his side every step of the way, no matter what.”
A New Heartwarming Routine
As treatment began, Lizé noticed changes in her husband’s energy and emotional well-being.
“I can see the emotional effects that it was having on him, the mental stress that it was taking a toll,” she says.
She began writing affirmations on their mirrors each morning.
“I am amazing. I am powerful. I am a child of God. Through God, all things are possible,” she recalls writing. “He started reading them and I noticed that it was helping him, that he was looking forward to getting up and reading those messages in the morning when he woke up.”
Ram, who completed radiation in February 2026, says her reminders of faith continue to matter.
“I need to be reminded that God is there,” he says. “She reminds me of that.”
Loving the Man Behind the Music
Their relationship began with a connection to his music: Lizé had once booked Ram to perform at a wedding that ultimately didn’t happen. Years later, they reconnected when she attended one of his performances with friends while celebrating her upcoming 50th birthday.
Eventually, Ram proposed onstage, getting down on one knee before an audience. But for Lizé, the connection has always been about the man behind the performer.
“The man that I’m in love with is Ramiro Herrera,” she says. “The artist is just a little bonus, the cherry on top.”
Evidently, their connection, along with their connection to music, has evolved throughout this challenging process.
Ram’s Return to the Stage
Music gave the couple something to look forward to. Ram revisited “Just One Time,” a song he had performed years earlier, giving it a country spin. Lizé says working on the recording helped renew his excitement about music while he continued taking medication for his cancer.
“Watching Ram get lit up again and excited about his career made all the difference in the world,” she says. For Lizé, the song’s longing for one more moment with someone carries a message about appreciating loved ones while they’re here.
“Don’t wait to tell that person you love them,” she says. “Pick up the phone and let them know how much you care about them and how special they are to you.”
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