My Sister's Cancer
How Prayer and Faith Sustained Us
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I am passionate about death! Walking with people "through the valley of the shadow" (Psalm 23:4) is the most rewarding aspect of pastoral ministry. Christianity teaches that victory over death is ours because of Jesus' resurrection. Journeying with people to the very edge of eternity inspires me like nothing else. Being in the presence of a person one second and knowing the next second he or she is with the Lord stirs my soul. One day ministry to the suffering and dying became personal. The voice I recognize as the Holy Spirit spoke to me four times between August 14th and 17th, 2010. The message was "tragedy is coming to your extended family." August 18th the call came from my niece: a tumor was found near my sister's right pelvis. Barb had stage four cancer. She was fifty-two years old when the cancer was diagnosed in October 2010. Physicians at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital at The Ohio State University predicted she had twelve to eighteen months to live at the time of diagnosis. The cancer is called favour metastatic sarcoma. Tests indicated the cancer originated at another site; however, the scans, blood work, and biopsies never revealed the point of origin. No tumors were present besides the one on her right pelvic bone. Many prayer concerns come to our church, frequently for cancer patients. The disease is widespread; seemingly everyone has a friend, neighbor, or relative battling this enemy. My desire is to share what I learned through this journey. My prayer is that the thoughts expressed will bring readers encouragement, peace, and hope. My sister was adamant that everyone at her funeral be given opportunity to invite Jesus Christ into their lives as Lord and Savior. The purpose of this book is to share the blessings that have come through this experience so that others will see the profound presence and involvement of the Lord as we journeyed "through the valley."
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About the Book
My Sister’s Cancer chronicles one family’s eleven-month journey from cancer diagnosis to death. Even people of faith find their beliefs tested when doctors utter the words unfriendly mass, tumor, and stage four cancer. Faith was one day a crutch that supported and the next a hope that sustained. Undergirded by the prayer support of countless believers, the courage and resolve to press on came as daily gifts.
Read the actual e-mail updates that present the realities of declining health and struggles to cope with inevitable loss. Gain insight into caregiver and patient needs, and how to be a supportive presence. Be encouraged by faith displayed despite given odds. Consider the world beyond this one, where there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain. Walk through the peaks and valleys of a loved one’s illness, as their journey is relayed through her sister’s eyes.
About the Author
Nancy Goulet has served as a United Methodist pastor in Ohio for twenty-five years. She is a graduate of Ohio State University and Asbury Theological Seminary. The most fulfilling aspect of pastoral ministry for Nancy is caring for people in times of loss. She has a gift for explaining eternal truths in compelling ways. Married to Russ for sixteen years, she is the mother of Jillian and Noah, and has been a sister for over fifty years.