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A friend of mine is battling stage IV metastatic breast cancer that has metastasized to her bones.  The disease was diagnosed almost ten years ago but she didn’t start to fight her disease until this past year.

Why?  FEAR.

Fear can be a great mobilizer or paralyzer.  Fear can be a destructive, mind numbing feeling or it can propel us to seek solutions for the problems we face.  In my friends case the words “You will need an operation and chemotherapy” caused her to seize and choose to ignore the diagnosis for fear of the operation, chemotherapy and loss of hair.  Left untreated she didn’t think it could be any worse than her fear.

And there lies the fallacy of fear.

Ten years later, a monstrous, red and inflamed breast lesion along with excruciating back and body pain sent her to the doctor.  Upon examination the disease had not only erupted through her skin but spread to other areas of her body.  Because of the progression of this disease her pain is protracted and has led to other issues which required colorectal surgery.  Today she is on ORAL chemotherapy regimen.  No infusion but, yes, she may indeed loose her hair.

But have you seen the wigs they have out now?  You could be a different woman every day of the week if your pocket book could take the hit!

But back to FEAR.  We have a choice when faced with a giant in our lives.   We can either Fear Everything And Run or Face Everything and Rise.  The first is an acronym that kills.  The second is an acronym that kindles life.  The choice is ours.  We cannot let our fear prevent us from taking care of ourselves.

In this case, my longtime friend let the initial diagnosis of breast cancer frighten her from taking care of the problem in its infancy. It stopped her from asking the questions she feared the most and the doctors did not take the time to explain the various types of therapy and some less invasive than others.  Now, it has grown to a giant and she is older and debilitated from its invasion and destruction of her cells.

But my friend is strong in spirit and her faith is growing.  She is Facing Fear and Rising!  It is my prayer that it is not too late.  Let the cancer be no match to her strength in spirit and faith.  May it shrink, wither, and die.  May God shine through the ravages this disease has caused and may my friend rise like a phoenix to bear witness to you.

Father God, I pray that those reading this will use my friend’s story to ignore the fear that causes them to run and hide and ignite the fear that causes them to fight.  Lord, have mercy on all those fighting cancer and especially my friend.  Amen.