Did you hear about the tragic death of ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson?

Have you ever read or heard a news story that is so tragic that it touches your heart in agonizing fashion, resulting in you continuing to mull it for weeks or months? I normally continue to ponder such heartbreaking news when I know or have a personal connection with the person who is at the center of the shocking story. Therefore, it is always surprising me when I repeatedly reflect on news about someone who I have never met before. At the end of 2021, Kristina texted me a poignant news story about ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson (“JD”) passing away from cancer at the age of 43. Since I am not a Chicago Bears fan and since I do not live in Illinois or NW Indiana, I had never heard JD’s name before she sent me the following ESPN article about him: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32953502/espn-chicago-bears-reporter-jeff-dickerson-dies. As documented in the preceding article, the circumstances surrounding his passing are so harrowing that I continue to reflect on the devastating impact cancer has had on him and on his family. I have thought about his story multiple times per day since I first read that ESPN article over two months ago. In addition to the sad series of events which led up to his death, I should also mention that a secondary reason why I can’t stop thinking about his tragic story is because JD passed away from colorectal cancer, which is the same type of cancer which I was diagnosed with in 2007 at the age of 40. Additionally, I am also a survivor of a 2011 melanoma cancer diagnosis, which is the same type of cancer his wife Caitlin passed away from. Since I had the same two types of cancer which took the lives of the Jeff and Caitlin Dickerson’s and since JD and I were both forty-something when we were first diagnosed with colorectal cancer, I am extremely empathetic for what they both went through in their cancer trials. Yes, the tragic cancer stories of Jeff and Caitlin Dickerson hit very close to home for me.

Since I did not know who JD was and since you may not know who he is either, here is how espnpressroom.com described him:

“Jeff Dickerson joined ESPN in May 2001 and is the Chicago Bears reporter for ESPN’s NFL Nation. Dickerson’s NFL coverage is seen, heard and read across nearly all of the company’s multimedia platforms, including ESPN.com, SportsCenter, NFL Live and Outside the Lines. In 2014, Dickerson joined the ESPN Radio national network where he hosts Dickerson and Hood on Saturdays and Sundays when football season ends. Dickerson is also a prominent weekday fill-in host, making regular appearances on national shows throughout the ESPN Radio lineup. Dickerson began his career at ESPN as a talk-show host/reporter/SportsCenter anchor at ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago. He expanded to the digital side in the spring of 2009 with the launch of ESPNChicago.com. Dickerson spent six years as ESPNChicago.com’s Chicago Bears beat writer before transitioning to ESPN.com in April 2015. Additionally, Dickerson covers the Bears for ABC-7 Television in Chicago (WLS) where he reports from home/road games and practices. Dickerson is also the television game-analyst for the Loyola Ramblers men’s basketball team. Dickerson is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.”

The following is an excerpt from the preceding ESPN article which explains why the circumstances surrounding his death were so tragic:

“In a cruel twist, Dickerson died at the same hospice care facility that his wife, Caitlin, died in two years ago. Caitlin Dickerson had undergone treatment for melanoma and its complications for eight years. Jeff Dickerson is survived by their son, Parker, and his parents, George and Sandy Dickerson.”………"JD always wants to know how you're doing," Waddle said. "I'd ask him how he's doing and his first response is, 'How are you doing? How are [Waddle's daughters]?' The dignity with which he has carried himself through some of the most difficult times any human being would be asked to go through, what his wife went through and the dignity and strength and grace that he showed at her side throughout all of this ... I don't know anybody I've met in my 54 years in life who has handled adversity over the last decade with more grace and strength and dignity than Jeff Dickerson. I know a lot of people go through [stuff]. I do. I'm sympathetic to all of it. But what Jeff Dickerson has had to go through the last decade is cruel.”

I read an article in the Chicago Sun Times which said that JD’s wife, Catlin, was only 36 years old when she passed away from melanoma two years ago (2019). JD’s son, Parker, was 9 years old when his mother died, and was just 11 years old when his dad (JD) passed away. Can you imagine losing both of your parents to cancer at such a young age? Can you imagine going to live with a guardian before you enter middle school? I cannot even begin to fathom the grief and pain their son Parker has endured over the past two years and the agony and heartbreak he continues to experience. I remember when I was 12 years old, and the thought of losing both parents to cancer would have been beyond devastating for me back in those days. I am not sure I would have been able to handle it emotionally, and I can only imagine how my life would have turned out if I was orphaned at such a young age. I also wonder how Parker will be impacted by these tragic events for the balance of his life. I have heard stories over the years about kids who lost one of their parents to cancer and those stories are gut-wrenching. Emotional, social, and academic struggles are just a few of the common issues which children are faced with when they lose a parent to cancer. As sad as those stories are, this is the first time I have read about an elementary aged child losing BOTH parents to cancer in a two-year period. I have been ministering to people with cancer for 15 years and I must admit that the impact that cancer has had on the Dickerson family is one of the most agonizing and heartbreaking series of events I have ever read about or encountered. Please pray for Parker and the family members who are caring for him now.

While the Dickerson’s story does not make any sense to me, I am comforted by the fact that God has a plan for each of our lives. How do I know this? The bible tells us that God’s plan is perfect, and His purposes will stand. Proverbs 19:21 tells us:

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand”

The preceding verse in Proverb’s tells us that God’s plans are perfect for not only for my life, but for each and every life in this world including the lives of Jeff and Caitlin Dickerson. Yes, God’s ways are not our ways, meaning our plans for our lives do not always match up with His perfect plan for our lives. As He always does, God will use these tragic events for His purposes and His glory.

As noted in the December 28, 2021 ESPN article which I referenced earlier, Jeff Dickerson was a true professional who was respected by his colleagues, friends and the professional sporting community. He was a loyal friend and an active, loving and involved father. For example, JD, after he was diagnosed with cancer, chronicled Parker’s basketball, baseball and flag football games. He also mentored others who aspired to get into the sports media profession. He was respected by the players and coaches of the Bears and the fans of Bears nation admired him as well. For example, over $750,000 was raised for his son Parker by the Chicago sports community after JD’s death, and the list of organizations and people who contributed is inspiring. Here are a few of the names which contributed money to the Parker Dickerson fund: Tom Ricketts, Andy Dalton, Anthony Reso, journalist Jay Glazer, Chicago Blackhawks Foundation, other NFL teams, Jed Hoyer, Theo Epstein, Tom Waddle, Charles Leno Jr., Loyola men’s basketball team and others. $750,000 is a lot of money to be raised and I do not think I can recall hearing a larger sum ever being raised to benefit the family of someone passing away from cancer. Why was the outpouring of financial support so tremendous? People admired JD and they also felt tremendous empathy for what the Dickerson family went through.

It is important to note that JD was a no-nonsense reporter who, according to the previously referenced ESPN article, reported the FACTS, but was not afraid to tell his listeners and readers what he thought about the Bears. I repeat that JD had a reputation, according to the articles I read about him, for reporting the FACTS. He was also inspirational to others for never complaining about his cancer trials and would often change the subject when asked about his cancer situation. While these are all great qualities to have when interacting with friends and colleagues, he was in denial publicly about the seriousness of his terminal cancer condition. For example, let’s consider a few of the statements in the previously referenced ESPN article:

“Dickerson said in 2019 that he considered Caitlin an "inspiration" because "she refused to let cancer dictate her life."……Dickerson never wavered in his belief that he would beat back cancer, joking with dark humor that he had too much experience with it. In addition to treatment and his work responsibilities, he spent the past year chronicling Parker's sports activities, traveling with him to basketball and baseball tournaments and attending his fall football games. Even after being placed in hospice last week, he told colleagues he was there merely to humor his doctors. No one around him heard a word of self-pity, and he disarmed those who expressed concern by asking them about their own lives.”

Can you imagine being sent to hospice by your doctors and telling your friends and colleagues that you were merely there to humor your doctors? I think everyone will agree that it was an inappropriate response to a terminal diagnosis. I have been ministering to hundreds of people with cancer over the years and I have only met one person who was ever discharged from hospice for no longer needing hospice’s services. For someone who was known as a no-nonsense reporter who reported the FACTS, why was JD so evasive about revealing the true prognosis for his cancer trial condition? Why wasn’t he completely honest in reporting the FACTS by providing a true update on his terminal condition? If JD truly believed he was going to survive his cancer trial, why did he spend the last year of his life Chronicling Parker’s sporting activities? The articles I read suggested that JD only started journaling Parker’s sporting activities AFTER he was diagnosed with Cancer. Deep in the caverns of his own mind, JD seemed to know the seriousness of his own diagnosis as evidenced by the journal he was planning to leave for his son in case he did not survive his cancer trial. How cool will it be for Parker to read that Journal, written by his dad who was a gifted sports reporter and writer, in the coming years. I have a tear in my eye as I consider how JD’s 2021 journal of Parker’s sporting activities is an incredible, loving gift for his son, and I am sure it will eventually become one of Parker’s most treasured possessions. I am sure it also included some words of wisdom as well as some comments about how much he loved his son. While his journaling suggests he knew he might not survive his cancer trial, JD provided a totally different “I am going to hospice merely to humor my doctors” perspective to his friends and colleagues. Only God knows why he responded to his terminal diagnosis in this fashion, but JD is not alone in responding in the way that he did. When facing a terminal diagnosis, I have observed over 15 years of ministering to cancer patients that they often respond in one of the following ways:

• They seem to acknowledge their terminal condition, yet they earnestly hope for a cure. As a result, they desperately search the world for a treatment solution which will hopefully save them from their terminal cancer predicament. Their search for a cure becomes their primary and sole focus and will usually cause them to try all sorts of alternative treatments and non-traditional therapies. They desperately want to prove the medical professionals, who diagnosed them as terminal, are wrong and they will often travel the country and the globe in search of their miracle cure. Because they spend their time and energies trying to find a cure for their cancer predicament, they do not take the time to come up with a contingency plan. In other words, they spend so much of their time searching for a miracle cure that they do not take the time to worry about their eternal destiny should they be unsuccessful in surviving their cancer trial.

• They run away from their terminal diagnosis by focusing their efforts and energies on completing their bucket list.

• They ignore the seriousness of their cancer situation and continue to live their lives with the belief that they will somehow beat their cancer. They do not know how, but they just believe it will somehow happen.

• They become an emotional mess. They are overcome with depression and feelings of desperation. In other words, they just do not know how to respond to such a horrible diagnosis, and they wallow in despair.

• They acknowledge the seriousness of their terminal prognosis and turn to God for hope, trusting in His promised salvation which only He can provide.

God designed man to fear death more than anything in this world. We are all going to die at some point in our lives, and a terminal cancer diagnosis brings this reality to the forefront of our minds. Unfortunately, so many cancer patients like JD live their lives with the belief that they will beat their cancer and that is their only plan. In other words, there is no back-up or contingency plan. If you recall one of my earlier quotes from that ESPN article about JD’s death, JD considered Caitlin to be an inspiration because she refused to let cancer dictate her life. While this is a captivating statement in a motivational speech, it fails to recognize the seriousness of a terminal diagnosis. As his condition continued to worsen to the point that he was eventually sent to hospice, JD never wavered in his belief that he was going to beat his cancer disease. He obviously ignored the advice and counsel of his oncologist(s) and he failed to report or recognize the FACTS of his terminal diagnosis. Ecclesiastes 9:5 tells us:

“For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten”

Did you catch the second half of the preceding verse where it says “they (the dead) have no further reward”? For someone who was known for reporting the FACTS to the nation of Bears’ fans, I ask again - why didn’t JD report the FACTS of his own cancer prognosis? Only God knows the answer to that important question, but so many other cancer patients struggle with acknowledging the evidence that they may ultimately succumb to their cancer trial. Pride, which dictionary.com defines as a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc., is one of the many factors which can contribute to cancer patients being unable or unwilling to address their own mortality head on. It takes a lot of pride swallowing to admit that you are not in control of your cancer trial and that you may not survive it. For individuals who are unwilling or unable to admit that they may not survive their terminal diagnosis, do they not understand that they have a “soul” and decisions made here on earth will impact the eternal destiny of their souls? In other words, many cancer patients do not have a plan for their souls should they end up succumbing to their cancer trial and these are the people who Ecclesiastes 9:5 describes as having no further reward once they die. Finally, many cancer patients are unable or unwilling to give up their perceived control of their lives and turn to God in their time of greatest need. Why should we turn to God in the midst of a terminal cancer trial? Psalm 56:3 (ESV) tells us:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you”

The bible tells us, as evidenced in the preceding verse and elsewhere in the scriptures, that God always wants us to turn to Him when we are afraid, especially when we are facing a terminal cancer diagnosis. When we realize that we are not in control, but God is, and when we put our faith and trust in His son, Jesus, we can be assured eternal life, no matter the outcome of our cancer trial. 1 John 5:11 (ESV) tells us:

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son”

Control, which dictionary.com defines as “the situation of being under the regulation, domination, or command of another”, is a natural human desire which we all earnestly covet at certain times in our lives. Most of us long for more control of our circumstances and we get angry and frustrated when we feel like we are losing control of our lives. When you become a follower of Christ, you are admitting that you are not in control of your life when you decide to give your heart to Him, trusting in His perfect plan for your life. For many Christians, trusting in God’s perfect plan for their lives all sounds great until a trial enters their lives in the form of a terminal cancer diagnosis. When Christians are informed that they have terminal cancer, some begin to realize for the very first time what giving up control of their lives really means and some of them struggle with how to respond appropriately. Over the years, I have seen more than my fair share of people, who call themselves Christians, get so angry with God over their terminal diagnosis and circumstances that they start to regress in their faith and beliefs. I often hear things like “My daughter is getting married, or my grandchildren need me, or I am getting ready to start a family and I have so many plans for the future – so, I cannot die from my Cancer trial as I need to be here for my family and friends”. Unfortunately, frustration and angst will always follow when our plans for our lives do not match up with God’s plans. Again, it all comes down to Control, which is a provocative word because our sinful nature wants us to covet and crave control. When dealing with something as serious as a terminal cancer diagnosis, many people will get extremely frustrated when they realize that they are not in control. Because God is in control and we are not, the control we so desperately lust after is perceived control. It is perceived control because favorable earthly circumstances often convince us that we are in control whereas the bible clearly states that God is sovereign and in control over all things in this world we live in. Perceived control is intoxicating but is also misleading because it causes us to develop an inflated view of our own self-worth. Muhammad Ali, the silver-tongued boxer and civil rights champion who famously proclaimed himself "The Greatest", perceived himself as the greatest boxer of all time. I am a Muhammad Ali fan and I loved many of his silver tongue speeches. He may very well have been the greatest boxer of all time, but he did not obtain such greatness absent God’s sovereign control over his life and circumstances. Before Mr. Ali died at the age of 74, I do not believe that he ever came to realize God’s sovereignty in his life, including God’s sovereignty over his greatest boxing achievements and in his 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.

As stated previously, JD’s primary stated hope was in surviving his cancer trial and I could not find any articles which suggested he had any other primary hopes. Since his wife passed away from cancer in 2019, I am sure one of his main reasons for wanting to be victorious over his cancer diagnosis was so that he could hopefully be there for his young son, Parker. While that type of love for his child is to be commended, focusing only on surviving a terminal diagnosis fails to recognize that God is sovereign over all things in our lives including the outcome of our cancer trials. When terminal cancer patients have only one hope, which is expecting to beat or survive their cancer trial, they are suggesting that they are in control of their cancer trial, and He (God) is not. Their “happiness meter” moves up and down based on how they feel they are progressing towards their stated goal of being triumphant over their cancer trial. In our cancer support group this month, I heard a saying that is applicable here: “a U-Haul never follows a funeral hearse”. This saying means you cannot take material possessions with you when you die. It is important to note that death impacts more than just our earthly possessions. Our relationships with friends and family also end once we die and exit this earth. For example, most wedding vows include the statement “till death do us part”, meaning each spouse’s commitment to that relationship expires at death (Romans 7:2). While JD is to be commended for wanting the best for his son, his relationship with his son ended at his death. If he had no other hopes other than beating his cancer so he could be there for his son, JD failed to recognize the potential outcome of death, and he failed to recognize that God was in control of his life, and he was not. It is impossible to accept God’s gift of eternal salvation if we fail to recognize that God is sovereign over all things in this world. It is also impossible to accept God’s gift of eternal salvation if we also fail to recognize that God will determine if we will or will not survive our cancer trials. Why? It comes down to WHO do we believe is in control of the outcome of our cancer trial and WHO do we believe is in control of our ultimate destiny?

I could not find any articles or quotes which discussed JD’s faith or his beliefs outside of his desires to victorious in his battle against his colorectal cancer. Perhaps he just did not talk about his faith? Perhaps he was angry at God for the cancer trials which he and his wife had to endure? Perhaps he just did not know there were any other options available to him when he faced his terminal cancer diagnosis? We will likely never know the answers to these “perhaps” questions. Only God knows what JD’s beliefs were when he died, and only God knows what ultimately happened to him. Even though I stated at the beginning of this blog post that the JD story is one of the most heartbreaking stories which I have ever encountered, the most tragic part of his story to me is that he did not appear to have a plan for the eternal destiny of his soul.

Only God can save us and only God knows why people reject the Gospel message. Many cancer patients are just not aware of these biblical truths or don’t take the time to investigate the Gospel message by reading the scriptures. However, many are just ashamed of the gospel message for a variety of reasons. In our Cancer Support Group this month, we studied Luke 6:17 to 26. Luke 6:22-23 tells us:

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.”

Yes, making a profession of faith by announcing that you have become a born-again believer in Jesus Christ comes with a cost. No, there is no monetary investment required to become a Christian since Romans 6:23 clearly states that believing in Christ is a free gift from God. So, what is the cost of making a profession of faith in Christ then? The cost described in Luke 6:22 is how people in this world will respond to you when you publicly declare that you are a follower of Christ. Many people will mock, spurn, and hate you or think you have lost your mind when you proclaim that you have decided to follow Jesus. I can promise you that many I have met in this world think I have gone crazy when they read some of my Cancer Support Chronicles blog posts. While I have failed to be bold about my faith in so many ways, I know my faith in Christ has cost me friendships and I know it has cost me in other areas of my life. In my years of ministering to people impacted by cancer, I have run into more than my share of cancer patients who are just unwilling to deal with the cost of following Jesus. In other words, their actions suggest that they are ashamed of the Gospel, even when they are facing a terminal diagnosis. This is sad because Luke 6:23 tells us that the blessed life finds its highest joy in trusting in the promises of Christ. In other words, trusting in Christ promises terminal cancer patients that an eternal reward awaits them in heaven. Because faith in Christ comes with a cost of being mocked and spurned and because it requires us to give up control of our own desires and plans while trusting in God’s plan for our lives, many cancer patients are unable or unwilling to make this leap of faith.

If you think you know how you would respond if you were given a terminal can diagnosis, I can promise you that you likely do not know how you would respond. It is an emotional roller coaster filled with all kinds of fears, pains, and emotional struggles as well as agonizing suffering and sleep deprivation. Such a trial will often test the faith of even the most dedicated Christian. I could share all sorts of stories of cancer patients who doubt their faith and who struggle with their cancer trial circumstances. Many become angry with God or focus on things other than deepening their relationship with Him. While becoming confused, emotional, angry, and depressed over a terminal cancer diagnosis are natural human reactions, it is in times like these that God wants us to yearn for Him more than we ever have before in our lives. When life is going well, we often do not realize how totally dependent we all are on God. However, in times of suffering, we can either get angry at God for our circumstances or we can begin to realize that we need him more than we have ever realized before. Yes, in times of great physical suffering, there is a tremendous opportunity to grow in our faith in Christ when we realize that we are totally dependent on Him. Psalm 33:20-21 tells us:

“Our soul waits for the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.

For our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name”

Psalm 33 tell us that we need to trust in the Lord and that our hearts need to be glad in Him. Please note what the preceding Psalm does NOT say. It does NOT say to be glad in Him so long as we do not have a terminal cancer diagnosis. It also does NOT say to be glad in him when our lives are going well as evidenced by a lack of worldly trials and difficulties. This Psalmist is telling us to always trust in Him and for our hearts to be glad in Him, even when we are battling cancer.

In the late 1990’s, I started to help Tom Petersburg, who at the time was the team chaplain for the Browns, Indians, and Cavaliers, with his annual golf fundraiser. Tom, who operated in this chaplain capacity for over 30 years, is an ordained minister who worked for Athletes in Action, which was a division of Campus Crusade for Christ or CRU. Via my relationship with Tom Petersburg, I had the humbling privilege of meeting so many incredible professional athletes from the Cleveland area sports teams including Travis Fryman (Indians), Mark Price (Cavs), Trent Dilfer (Browns), Benjamín Watson (Browns), and others. While working with Tom, one of the ministry techniques I learned so much about was the concept of “platform”, which Merriam Webster defines as “a means or opportunity to communicate ideas or information to a group of people”. One of the ministry techniques which Tom reinforced with his professional athletes is how they had a unique professional sports platform to share the Gospel. People may not want to go to church to listen to a pastor preach the Gospel, but they might want to go hear one of their favorite Cleveland Browns players speak on a variety of topics, including their faith in Christ. Professional athletes have powerful and exclusive opportunities to share the Gospel which others like me just do not have. Similarly, in my years of ministering to people impacted by cancer, I have seen over and over again how a cancer trial provides the cancer patient and their caregivers a unique platform to share the Gospel. More specifically, people impacted by cancer have a powerful platform to share the good news of Jesus Christ with their family and friends who might not be willing to listen to them discuss their faith absent their cancer trials. For example, Cancer patients can utilize their platform to say “I have cancer” but my faith in Christ provides me hope no matter the outcome of my cancer trial, causing their friends, family members and healthcare workers to think through their own faith and how would they respond if they were in a similar situation. There are many other ways to utilize a cancer platform to share the good news of Jesus Christ, but my main point here is Cancer can be a powerful platform to witness to others about the eternal hope which Jesus provides to all who trust in Him.

When I think of JD’s cancer trial, I think about the platform opportunities which were missed. Only God knows if JD trusted in Christ as his Lord and savior or not, but let’s assume for a minute that he came to faith in Christ in the middle of his cancer trial. If this were true, what a unique platform opportunity that could have been for JD. Instead of going into the hospice facility denying the seriousness of his cancer diagnosis, he could have gone into this facility for the terminally ill praising God and utilizing his extensive social media platform to share the good news of Jesus Christ with his 100,000 twitter followers and with the fans of Bears nation. In other words, he could have been saying “even though my doctors are telling me that I am going to die, my faith in Christ guarantees me that I will live no matter the outcome of my cancer trial”. He could go on to talk about how his better life is still yet to come in heaven. Colossians 3:17 tells us:

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”

In my home office, I have a football signed by former Browns QB Trent Dilfer with “Col 3:17” written just below his autograph. Tom Petersburg, who had Trent sign these footballs for me and a few other men who supported his golf outing, said that Trent considered this verse in Colossians to be his football or work verse. Why? Regardless if he played well or not, Trent desired to play football to the best of his abilities and to the glory of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God no matter the outcome on the field. In other words, Colossians 3:17 commands all of us to do our work each day to the best of our abilities and to do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him. Therefore, since receiving that football, I have always considered Colossians 3:17 to be my work verse, meaning I should report to work each day with the sole purpose of glorifying Christ through my actions and attitudes. Although I fail miserably at glorifying Christ in all that I do including my work, I am hopeful that this verse has made an impact in how I approach all my daily endeavors, including my work endeavors. However, Colossians 3:17 is more than just a work verse since it is also telling us that we should give thanks to God in whatever we do, including when we are battling cancer. If you are able give thanks to God in the midst of a cancer trial, you will be demonstrating how you can battle cancer in the name of the Lord Jesus. This will help show others that your Christian faith is genuine, heartfelt, sincere, and real, and will provide you with a unique “I have cancer, I may not survive but I have true hope in the promises of the Gospel” platform to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

As a two-time cancer survivor, I have come to realize that I may eventually get diagnosed with cancer a third or fourth time in my lifetime. Only God knows His plan for my life, so I am grateful for each day which I am blessed with here on earth. However, if I am ever diagnosed with cancer again in the future, I may eventually be told that I am terminal. If I am ever given a terminal cancer diagnosis, my hope is that I will proudly proclaim the FACTS of my terminal diagnosis so that everyone who is willing to listen hears that I believe that Christ is in control of both my earthy and eternal destinies. Why? God has taught me that a terminal cancer diagnosis is a powerful and unique platform to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I would proudly proclaim that God promises me in His scriptures that my faith in Christ enables me to be confident that I will live even if I succumb to my terminal cancer trial. Before I became so sick that I could no longer write or communicate, I would likely write a blog post discussing the hope I have in Christ, and I would have someone post if for me after I succumbed to my cancer trial. Because it would be the last blog post I ever wrote and because people might be curious to read my last and final thoughts, my posthumous blog post discussing the eternal hope which my faith in Christ provides me with would likely be the most popular blog post I ever wrote. If I am ever able to respond in this way by writing such a final blog post, my hope is that my story would go viral and would cause others to investigate a potential relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are ever given a terminal cancer diagnosis and if you would like to avoid a tragic ending to your cancer trial, will you report the FACTS and do you believe that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His son?

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 John 5:11 ESV)

Jim Risk, a two-time cancer survivor, is the volunteer Ministry Coordinator for the Cancer Support Group (CSG) at a non-denominational church in NE Ohio. Jim and his wife, Kristina, have participated and served in CSG, a Christian ministry, since 2007.

PS: Although it is not the point of this blog post, I should mention that there has been a huge uptick in younger (49 years old and younger) colorectal cancers in the last 10 to 20 years. Because of these disturbing trends for younger colorectal patients, The Cleveland Clinic has started the Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. Family Center for Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer (“YOCRC”) at their Digestive Disease Surgery Institute. I am on the newly formed (2022) patient advisory council at YOCRC. Although God is ultimately sovereign over all things including our cancer trials, we still need to be good stewards of our bodies (Romans 12) so please get your colon checked out via a colonoscopy if you have a family history of colorectal cancer or if you have symptoms such as rectal bleeding, excessive gas etc. There are a lot of younger people like JD who are dying from Colorectal cancer, so we all need to be advocates for our own bodies in light of these disturbing trends.