Leaning on Faith In the Face of Cancer
- Country singer Jo Dee Messina, 55, is nearing ten years since her cancer diagnosis and says that despite appearing strong publicly, the experience was emotionally difficult and deeply lonely, especially as a single mother.
- While not disclosing details about her cancer, Messina’s faith became her primary source of strength through treatment, financial hardship, and fear, ultimately reshaping her music and inspiring her to create more faith‑driven songs.
- A study published in Cancer includes data that found “69% of cancer patients reported praying for their health” compared to “only 45% of the general U.S. population.”
- New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans previously spoke with SurvivorNet about how faith can help people cope with the complex emotions that come with cancer.
- Dr. Alexandra Drakaki at UCLA says that with rapid advances in treatment and a focus on aligning care with each patient’s personal goals, hope is real, as she helps patients regain a sense of control after a diagnosis. “Every diagnosis marks the beginning of a new, empowered conversation.”
- To further help you on your cancer journey, explore SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool, “My Health Questions.” This powerful resource, embedded across the SurvivorNet website, was built to bridge that gap by offering on-demand explanations of treatment options, clinical trials, side effects, insurance concerns, and more.
On the “Pure Joy Podcast”, Messina revealed that during treatment, her insurance lapsed, leaving her unsure of how she would move forward. With touring halted and income gone, she said all she could do was pray.
“My tithing check bounced… I’m like, what is going on? They’re like, with no touring, there’s no income, there’s no cash flow,” she recalled.
That season of fear and uncertainty deepened her faith and fueled new creative inspiration. She described moments of profound vulnerability, despite others insisting she was “so strong.”
“I would cry and be like, ‘Jesus, I wish you had arms. I just want somebody to hold me because this is scary and lonely.’ Then people are like, ‘You’re so strong,’ and I’m like, ‘You didn’t see me last night.’ I was sitting on the side of my bed going, ‘I wish somebody would go through this with me.’”
WATCH: Turning to Faith During a Cancer Journey.
When asked how she managed to get through it all, Messina pointed to the Bible as one of her greatest sources of strength.
Messina rose to prominence in the 1990s and early 2000s, earning major success with hits like “Heads Carolina, Tails California.” According to the Grand Ole Opry, she amassed nine No. 1 singles, 16 Top 40 hits, and earned recognition from the ACM Awards, CMA Awards, and Grammy Awards.
How Faith Can Influence Your Cancer Journey
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- The Power Of Prayer: The Remarkable Link Between Religion And Resilience
- 7 Simple Tips People With Cancer Can Do To Care For Their Mental Health and Manage Stress
Why Faith Offers Cancer Patients Hope
A study published in “Cancer” includes data that found “69% of cancer patients reported praying for their health” compared to “only 45% of the general U.S. population.”
Cancer psychologist Dr. Andrew Kneier helped co-author “Coping with Cancer: Ten Steps toward Emotional Well-Being.” He also co-authored a column published by Stanford Medicine with Rabbi Jeffrey M. Silberman, director of spiritual care at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut.
The two add more context to the impact faith has on cancer patients.
“A person’s faith or spirituality provides a means for coping with illness and reaching a deeper kind of inner healing,” Kneier and Silberman said.
“Coping means different things to different people: it can involve finding answers to the questions that illness raises, it can mean seeking comfort for the fears and pain that illness brings, and it can mean learning how to find a sense of direction at a time of illness. Religious teachings can help a person cope in all of these dimensions,” Kneier and Silberman continued.
WATCH: Three-time cancer survivor shares how her faith helped her during cancer.
New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans tells SurvivorNet about the importance of finding ways to cope with the complex web of feelings you may be experiencing after a challenging health diagnosis, such as cancer.
“It’s important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you’ve never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, ‘God, help me, be with me,’” Pastor Evans told SurvivorNet.
“You can reach out to God, and you can reach out to people, your friends and family, and say, ‘I can’t do this on my own. I need you.’ “It’s in that willingness to be open and to receive that we can find something deeper that we never would’ve encountered without this hardship,” Evans continued.
How Dr. Drakaki Helps Patients Reframe Their Diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis can feel like the ground shifting beneath your feet — sudden, disorienting, and overwhelming. But according to Dr. Alexandra Drakaki, medical director of the Genitourinary Oncology Program at UCLA, the first step toward regaining control is understanding what cancer actually is.
“Cancer is normal. From the moment we are born, cancer cells are being developed, and our immune system is constantly trying to attack them,” she explains.
It’s a different way to reframe a diagnosis. Understanding that cancer isn’t an outside invader, but a biological process that can emerge as we age.
“Cancer is inevitable, and the longer we live, the more likely we are to develop more than one cancer. So, it’s important to accept it and deal with it,” Dr. Drakaki explains.
That acceptance, she emphasizes, is not about resignation; instead, it’s about grounding yourself so you can make clear, empowered decisions.
A new diagnosis often triggers fear and confusion, but many oncologists and numerous cancer survivors encourage patients not to let that fear silence them.
Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.
WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions.
“Look for an opinion. Don’t get overwhelmed. Don’t give up. It’s normal,” Dr. Drakaki says.
She encourages patients to ask questions, seek clarity, and, importantly, pursue second, third, or even fourth opinions.
“There is always hope. They really need to be advocates. It’s okay to go for a second, third, or fourth opinion. Sometimes that last opinion will get you there.”
Cancer as a Lifelong Journey and Sometimes a Wake‑Up Call
For many patients, cancer becomes a long‑term companion, not a single moment in time; hence, the cancer experience from diagnosis to treatment and into survivorship is considered a journey.
“Any patient with a new diagnosis of bladder cancer or any type of cancer needs to know that this is going to be a lifelong process,” she says.
Dr. Drakaki says that beneath the surface, there is something deeper in that journey. It creates an extended family among fellow survivors and caregivers who understand the visible and noticeable aspects of a diagnosis and the quiet parts often away from wandering eyes.
“Oftentimes, I tell my patients that their cancer could be a blessing because it gives more awareness of how they want to spend their life.”
We often hear from patients who explain how they gain an added sense of gratitude after a diagnosis. Life milestones such as birthdays, graduations, the birth of a child, or a wedding are all examples of life experiences that gain added value for patients and their loved ones.
The added awareness can also reshape priorities, relationships, and the way patients choose to live each day. However, as patients often reshape their perspective on life following a diagnosis, their medical team’s goal remains focused.
“We should always go with a goal of cure or prolonged response,” Dr. Drakaki says.
Hope Is Real and So Is Progress
Cancer care has evolved dramatically, and Dr. Drakaki wants patients to know that the landscape is not what it was even a decade ago.
“Miracles do happen. We have new drugs that can put people in disease control for many, many years,” she says.
For patients who feel overwhelmed or defeated, she stresses that the science is moving fast and that hope is not naïve but justified as treatment advances continue.
WATCH: Lynton Daniel’s 14-Year Journey With Brain Cancer and the Promise of Precision Medicine
Lynton Daniel is a father of two, a man of deep faith, and a survivor who has spent the last 14 years navigating life with a brain tumor diagnosis that once threatened to define his future.
In March 2011, Daniel, 68, was diagnosed with a grade two oligodendroglioma—a primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor that begins in the brain or spinal cord. What followed was a journey marked by resilience and a treatment that gave him much-needed hope.
Daniel’s treatment path took a pivotal turn when he started taking Vorasidenib, a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designed to target gliomas with specific genetic mutations in the IDH1 and IDH2 genes. These mutations alter how cells process energy and contribute to tumor growth. Vorasidenib works by inhibiting the mutated enzymes, slowing tumor progression, and potentially delaying the need for more aggressive treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.
“These are very powerful drugs,” Dr. David Peereboom, a medical oncologist specializing in brain tumors at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, tells SurvivorNet.
Living with a brain cancer diagnosis for over a decade hasn’t been easy.
“How many times I have been told that I was going to die is very worrying,” Daniel shares. But he credits his emotional well-being to three pillars: enduring friendships, strong faith, and a sense of purpose.
Daniel’s experience has shaped not only his outlook but also his desire to support others.
“You’re not alone,” he says to newly diagnosed glioma patients. “It can be scary to reach out, especially when you’re vulnerable and newly diagnosed, but there are many people like me ready to help you, to be your friend.”
Daniel’s extraordinary journey with brain cancer is a testament to the power of resilience and the promise of modern medicine.
Aligning Treatment With What Matters Most to You
One of the most important conversations Dr. Drakaki has with new patients begins with a simple question: What is your goal?
Some patients prioritize longevity at all costs. Others value quality of life above everything else.
“Some people will say, ‘I’d rather have less time on earth but a better quality of life.’ And there are others who want to stay around as long as possible. So we need to make sure that we merge our goals.”
Cancer care is not just about eliminating disease; it’s about honoring the whole person.
“Our goal is to treat and cure cancer, while the patient’s goal is not just to be cancer‑free, but to avoid lifelong complications and toxicities from treatment.”
A Diagnosis Is Not the End, It’s the Beginning of a New Conversation
Dr. Drakaki’s message is ultimately one of clarity and empowerment: cancer is common, survivable, and increasingly manageable. Patients have more options, more tools, and more agency than ever before.
Above all, hold onto hope because there is always a path forward.
To further help you on your cancer journey, explore SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool, “My Health Questions.”
WATCH: How One Cancer Survivor and Her Sister Used “My Health Questions” to Navigate Care
This powerful resource, embedded across the SurvivorNet website, was built to bridge that gap by offering on-demand explanations of treatment options, clinical trials, side effects, insurance concerns, and more.
Users can ask questions conversationally, either by typing or using their voice, and receive answers tailored to their individual profiles. If patients don’t know where to start, we provide prompt questions to get them started.
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