There was a powerful reminder over the past few days about the incredibly important role that faith plays when someone is diagnosed with cancer. 69 percent of cancer patients say they pray for their health, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pope Francis told a group of cancer patients and doctors from the Italian Association of Medical Oncology that cancer treatment should be personal and merciful.
“The choice of participating together in this meeting represents a strong message and an eloquent sign not only for the world of health care, but for the whole of society, called to renew itself in a fraternal and supportive way,” he told the group.
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The Pope said that each wound is Jesus’s wound, and that as such we must care for others then way we’d care for him, "In the wounds of the sick and in the diseases that impede us from moving forward in life, Jesus' presence, and His wounds, is always there," he added. "Jesus calls each of us to look after them, to support them, and to heal them."
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And he also said that “listening to God without hesitation” is “the great Christian response” when it comes to helping the sick.
He asked the crowd to to ask the Holy Spirit for the interior strength to know that God is always present where people are healing others.
Faith and prayer during cancer
For a lot of cancer survivors, faith and prayer are extremely important to the recovery process. "I knew that if I just put my faith and trust in God, that I would be okay," says Sharonda Vincent about her cancer journey.
Sharonda discovered a lump in her left breast the day before her thirtieth birthday, with just over a month to go until her wedding. Her doctor initially dismissed her concerns, but follow-up tests confirmed that it was stage 2B breast cancer. "It was hard for me. I felt as if I was being punished," she says.
Breast cancer survivor Sharonda Vincent on the role of faith and God during cancer.
But after chemotherapy, radiation, and then hormone replacement, Sharonda is doing well. She’s currently a social service advocate at the Public Defender’s Office in Philadelphia.
Sharonda’s message: Don’t give up hope. Educate yourself and live every day to the fullest. "Breast cancer is no longer the end of the world," she says.
And Sharonda isn’t the only survivor who has told us that faith helped them through while dealing with cancer. Despite everything she's been through, Sharon Spencer still walks around with a smile on her face and an amazing outlook on life. She credits God for that positivity. Sharon was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 39 years old. After beating the cancer, she was hit by a car and her leg was partially amputated. She tells us that her faith in God never faltered during all this struggle … and that's enabled her to help other women who are going through similar troubles.
Breast cancer survivor Sharon Vincent talks about the role of God during her recovery from cancer
"I just think there's a purpose for each of us, and God has a plan for each of our lives," Sharon says. "I was just designated to give the encouragement and the support that women need. I've gotten so much stronger … my faith has grown so much since all of these things have happened to me."
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