Resources and support for families dealing with cancer and serious illness

😘 Way to go, ladies! You honestly deserve all the luck in the world. For me, everything just seemed to flow so much smoother because I was surrounded by such genuinely positive people who actually gave a damn and showed some real love. Trust me, your inner circle felt that energy too. Much love!😘

I caught a bit of a segment on NBC yesterday about providing psychological support to people battling cancer—specifically focusing on breast cancer patients. It sounded like they were discussing the launch of some kind of support group or organization dedicated to mental health assistance for those affected. Does anyone know if there’s an actual association being formed for this? If anyone happened to catch the broadcast, has a recording of it, or just knows what's going on, please let me know. steelbadger83?
😘 everyone

I didn't catch it either, though I really wish I had. There was actually this program about breast cancer on NBC yesterday around 11:00, but I was at my appointment for Herceptin so I couldn't tune in.
I’ve been thinking more and more lately about starting an association of my own, maybe something a bit broader than what exists now—a place where you could access all kinds of specialists, not just psychologists. I actually have a meeting coming up next week to talk about it.

Look, this might sound a bit foolish, but why wouldn't anyone consider seeing a healer? Here in Washington, D.C., there is an individual living near the downtown area who provides healing services entirely for free. You just bring a flower. I guess there are over 200 documented cases of recovery, and he's even been featured in books and mentioned by various figures. Every year, maybe 5,000 people show up just for his birthday to say thanks. Since he isn't charging a dime, I suppose there’s really no reason to assume anyone is trying to scam people.

http://www.samoborskiglasnik.net/raz...0050114&sif=91

Angela Wright said:I caught a bit of a show on NBC yesterday about psychological support for people battling cancer—specifically breast cancer patients, from what I could gather. Is there an association being formed to provide this kind of mental health help? If anyone saw the broadcast, has a recording, or knows anything about it, please let me know. steelbadger83?
😘 everyone

I didn't catch it, but honestly, it’s a brilliant idea. It would be even better if they included education and practical advice too. Most people facing a diagnosis are totally lost; they don't understand the disease or what the smartest next steps should be. They're left wondering: do I call a psychiatrist, talk to a priest, or just look for a shoulder to cry on?

Jessica Rodriguez said:Hey everyone, this might sound a little out there, but why wouldn't you just reach out to a healer? I mean, back home in Washington, D.C., over in the unknown area near the pharmacy, there’s this healer who works entirely for free. You basically just bring a flower. Apparently, there are over 200 documented cases where he's helped people, and some guy even wrote a book about him. People even say he was mentioned by certain figures, and honestly, like 5,000 people show up just to thank him on his birthday. Since he isn't charging a dime, I guess there's really no reason to think anyone is trying to scam people.

http://www.samoborskiglasnik.net/raz...0050114&sif=91

Yeah, I've heard about that guy, but in a way that makes me pretty uneasy. If you're religious, please, just stay away. I don't think you should go to any kind of "healer," because all that stuff feels like it's on the opposite side of what is divine. Just pray and maybe seek an anointing at church; I'd just leave those types of healers alone, since they aren't from God.

frozenviper492 said:Yeah, I've heard about that guy, but honestly, it wasn't anything good. If you guys are religious, please just stay away from him. I really think people should steer clear of those self-proclaimed healers, because that whole scene feels like it's on the opposite side of what is divine. Just stick to prayer and maybe ask the church about anointing the sick... I guess it's better to leave those types of healers alone since they aren't sent by God.

I mean, you should probably just go to a doctor and pray for your physicians, and then ask God for help, while tossing everything else aside. Not that I'm talking about herbal teas or stuff like that, obviously, but I'd say don't go to those healers, don't let them lay hands on you, and definitely don't take any charms from them, because it all seems like magic to me.

frozenviper492 said:Get medical help, pray to your doctors, and ask God for aid; toss everything else aside. I’m not talking about herbal tea or plants, obviously, but stay away from those healers. Don't let them lay hands on you or sell you charms. It's all just magic.

They aren't even laying hands on anyone. I guess if someone is doing good, why would that be bad?
We don't actually know much about God beyond what we've been told. It seems many in the church don't see any healing, yet people flock to certain figures because they do—which is probably why they show up in the first place. I suppose the question is where God actually resides... though maybe He manifests wherever He chooses to be. What is the point of the church, anyway? These days, they won't even give you a decent burial if you haven't paid your dues. And honestly, after all the religious wars in history, what does "magic" even mean?

Jessica Rodriguez said:He isn't laying hands on anyone, so why would what he does be bad?
I guess we don't really know anything about God, just whatever people have told us, though I suppose plenty of folks in the church don't see any healing, whereas they do see it with this guy, so that's probably why they go to him... It’s really a question of where God actually resides... but I imagine if He's there, that's where He manifests. And what's the point of the church anyway? These days, they wouldn't even bury you if you hadn't donated, and honestly, how many religious wars have there been? Plus, what even is magic, really?

I actually reached out to those who believe in God and attend church. It's kind of sad that Catholics, mostly out of ignorance, frequently turn to guys like him and others, not realizing it's just evil disguised as something good. I didn't know a lot of things either, but I went through a conversion and realized a lot of things that are actually rooted in evil. I read that article you mentioned about him and noticed that he’s becoming an idol to people, and as Christians, we know pretty well what idolatry is and how it violates the first commandment of God.
To be honest, I'd rather die of cancer if medicine can't help me, especially if it isn't the divine will for me to recover—I mean, why gain physical health only to lose my soul? There's also this organization here in Los Angeles among all the other "healers" that prays to some dead man and bows to him just to get better physically. I think they do get physically well, but that deceased person they worship basically becomes their god. It's just like how people throughout the Old Testament cast aside the one true God for the fleeting glory offered by false gods; it's the work of evil. A lot of these "healers" keep pictures of the Virgin Mary and Jesus in their homes just to make it easier to deceive people. As for funerals, it's just not true that they won't bury you if you haven't given money to the church. Regarding healing in the church, it still happens today just like it did when Jesus walked the earth. Priests lay hands on the sick and pray for Jesus to heal them, and they perform the anointing of the sick too. I've personally seen and heard testimonies from people whom Jesus healed within the church.

I started a thread about being on the edge... so please, I'm asking you to head over there and give us your take. 🙂 I'm also curious about how you actually reached these conclusions—how you can tell when something evil is masquerading as good, and what it really means to "lose one's soul."

Just to be crystal clear—I’m never going to look for help anywhere outside of what God has already provided, which is basically just the Church, the sacraments, personal prayer, and surrendering everything to His will. I won't do it for myself, for anyone else, or even if my own kid were on the line.

frozenviper492 said:honestly, I’d rather face cancer without medical help if it isn't God's will for me to recover,

Evil can't be part of the divine will, I suppose.

Jessica Rodriguez said:Evil can't be part of God's will.

I guess I agree that evil isn't God's will. There are just so many reasons why people get physically sick, and honestly, we don't always get why. I mean, you think about all those saints who died in agony, basically suffering just so others could find their way back to the faith? They seemed to accept that pain pretty willingly, I suppose, since they knew how fleeting this life is and wanted to give everything for the sake of saving souls. And really, this isn't the end of the story. Even if someone doesn't get physically healed, what does that even matter compared to eternity? From our little perspective, sickness or death feels like the absolute worst thing, but maybe it's just a transition into another life. From a higher vantage point, all this might just be a tiny flash in the pan. I guess I'm just saying you shouldn't let these so-called healers take over your soul just to chase physical health. You never want to trade spiritual or eternal peace for physical wellness. Sometimes, being sick is actually the path to finding oneself. So many people find healing for their souls through illness and find God, and then, maybe, they even experience physical healing too.

Jessica Rodriguez said:Evil simply cannot be part of God's will.

Look, please, stop running to these various "healers." You’re just going to end up disappointed, and frankly, disappointment is the last thing anyone here needs right now. These types of healers are essentially just selling an escape hatch—they offer a way to sidestep the actual struggle and avoid carrying one's own cross by promising instant fixes. In the end, you'll just waste precious time, find yourself right back at square one, and realize through sheer exhaustion that you're the only one who can actually help yourself while the illness continues to progress...
Everything you need is already inside you, folks; if it is indeed the divine will, healing will follow.
Do the work on yourselves instead of waiting for someone else to perform it on you!
Also, I’m asking you all to please refrain from posting any offers from healers on this forum. The ratio of problems created to solutions offered here is completely disproportionate.
Thanks!

Angela Wright said:Please, just stay away from those amateur healers. You’ll only end up disappointed, and I suppose disappointment is the last thing anyone needs right now.

How can you be so certain about the disappointment? If that were true, why would 5,000 people show up for his birthday just to say thanks? Even if it were only 100 people, or even just one... why would they bother showing up at all?

frozenviper492 said:Evil isn't God's will, I suppose. There are plenty of reasons for physical sickness, though we rarely grasp them. Think about how many saints died in agony, suffering just to bring others back to the faith? They accepted that pain willingly. They knew how fleeting this life is, so they didn't hold back when it came to saving souls. This isn't the end. Even if healing doesn't happen, what does that matter compared to eternity? From our view, illness or death seems like the worst-case scenario, but maybe it’s just a transition to another life. Looking at it from a divine perspective, this whole thing is just a blink. I'm just saying, don't let these so-called healers take over your soul just to fix your body. You shouldn't sacrifice the spiritual or the eternal for physical health. Sometimes, being sick is actually the path to redemption. Many have found their soul healed through illness, found God, and then perhaps even saw their bodies heal too.

What does it actually mean to have your soul "taken over"? If someone heals you and you feel grateful, does that count? If a surgeon operates on you and you recover feeling thankful, are you suddenly possessed?

Jessica Rodriguez said:How can you be so certain about disappointment? Why would 5,000 people show up to thank that man on his birthday? Why would even 100 show up, or why would even one single person bother to come at all?

Exactly. Who shows up to give thanks, who actually attends, and what their motivations are... you could ask thousands upon thousands of questions and never hit the bottom of it.

Look, my mother went to see this high-level holistic healer who claims massive success. She actually convinced my mom to delay her chemotherapy and radiation because she doesn't work with patients who have already undergone radiation. My mom spent an hour every single day for six months seeing her, and after those six months were up, the cancer came back...
Every month, way more people flock to Lourdes to offer thanks to the Virgin Mary. Honestly, this is deeply personal. I personally believe that true healing comes from within ourselves. I didn't just pull that out of thin air; I reached that conclusion through a massive amount of reflection and deep thought.

I appreciate the suggestion, but I really feel like this entire discussion has gone a bit off the rails by poking into the extremely intimate spheres of an individual's personal decisions and faith. While I think it's fine to express an opinion, any debate regarding this here is honestly redundant and pointless. So, I’m asking you all to please hold back or take this conversation to a different forum that you can open specifically for this topic.

D

Angela Wright said:Why would anyone come just to say thanks? Who shows up and why... you could ask a thousand different questions about it.

Look, my mom went to see this high-end energy healer who claims to have a massive track record. This lady actually convinced her to put off chemo and radiation because she won't work on people who've already been radiated. My mom spent an hour every single day for six months doing this, and after those six months were up, the cancer came right back...
Every month, way more people flock to Lourdes to give thanks to the Virgin Mary. Honestly, it’s a totally individual thing. Personally, I believe healing comes from within us. I didn't just pull that out of thin air; I reached that conclusion after a lot of deep reflection and thinking. It's not just talk.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I really feel like this whole discussion has gone a bit OFF TRACK. It’s starting to poke into very private, deeply personal spheres regarding an individual's decisions and their faith. While I think it's fine to share an opinion, any debate about this here is honestly pointless and useless. So, please, either hold back or take this conversation to a different forum that you can start specifically for this topic.

Do the families of people battling serious illnesses suffer too? Do they need support through counseling or something similar? Could these issues be addressed by starting an association for patients where families could find answers? I’ve felt the shifts firsthand within my own family. The kids' grades slipped at school. My wife was completely overwhelmed with responsibilities toward the family and me. They don't know how to act around me because this isn't a "normal" life situation where things flow smoothly. Then there's the fear over money and survival. As for me, I'm totally burnt out. I'm not productive. I could go on and on.

I suppose it’s a deeply personal matter. Personally, I believe healing comes from within. That’s just my conclusion after a lot of reflection, though I’m certainly not claiming to have all the answers.

What does that actually mean to you? I guess you might have had some experience with it?

Jessica Rodriguez said:What exactly do you mean by that? Have you actually dealt with something like this before?

I mean that someone might use their faith to justify an action like that. I’ve lived it myself—there was a time when I had to make a heavy decision on my mother's behalf. Honestly, I'm not going to unpack that here on the forum. It's too personal.
This is my final word on this thread.