“Your faith and attitude inspires me so much,” says former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who paid a surprise visit to teenage newlyweds Chase and Sadie amid Chase’s battle with bone cancer.
Chase, 19, has been battling bone cancer Ewing’s Sarcoma for six years, and once doctors told Chase and his family that the cancer had spread throughout his body and it was suspected he only had a few months to live, Chase married his girlfriend Sadie during their senior year of high school. The couple’s story has inspired many across the country, including Tebow, who visited the couple two months after they were wed. On Twitter, Tebow shared a few photos of him talking and praying with Chase, and commended him for his faith and bravery while battling the disease.
Read MoreChase – it was so great spending time with you and your amazing wife Sadie. Your faith and attitude inspires me so much! Love you brother.
Twitter family, please pray with me for Chase, his wife and his family as he so courageously continues to fight bone cancer. pic.twitter.com/9RknbryPtw— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) June 22, 2020
Using Faith To Cope With A Cancer Diagnosis
In numerous conversations with SurvivorNet, many survivors say that their religion and faith were invaluable while battling cancer. When Monica Layton was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2018, the amount of support she received from her church helped her remain positive and hopeful for successful outcomes. According to Layton, her pastor visited her in the hospital while she was undergoing surgery, and every day after surgery to pray with her for a speedy recovery. Members of Layton’s church also formed a circle of support around her by sending her cards and flowers in the hospital and putting her on the church prayer list.
Even after surgery and during her first round of chemotherapy, Layton still participated in the church choir every week to sing with her congregation. Seeing as she was undergoing chemotherapy, the choir was vigilent in making sure they used hand sanitizer and cleaned regularly to keep Layton safe.
"Singing in the choir was a key part of my mental health," Layton says. “So that was twice a week that I was with these people who were a major part of my support. They were so kind. I think my faith has been very important, crucial for me. Just the prayer really helps.”
Ovarian cancer survivor Monica Layton says her church was her biggest support system
Once hearing a cancer diagnosis, many people will experience emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, and shame. These feelings are normal and completely warranted, but breast cancer survivor Sharonda Vincent decided to work through her negative emotions by talking to the man upstairs.
“One night I was just laying there in bed, and I had a talk with God,” Vincent says. “I knew that if I just put my faith and trust in God, that I would be OK. I think I cried for about maybe the first month or so. It was hard for me. I did feel as if I was being punished.”
Vincent’s faith helped her remain positive and kept her battling through the disease, and she urges others to do the same.
“If I had one piece of advice to give to someone who was newly diagnosed with breast cancer, that advice would be to not give up hope, to live every day as if it was their last day, to educate themselves,” Vincent says. “I would let them know that it’s OK to cry. It’s OK to have days where they just want to be alone, but I would just push them to live a long, happy life because breast cancer – it’s not the end of the world.”
Breast cancer survivor Sharonda Vincent says talking to God helped her cope with her emotions
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