Saturday, April 05, 2008

Two More

** update Sunday am: News story about Ethan Powell from the Shreveport Times.

** update Sunday pm: News story about Emily Lester from the St. Petersburg Times.

It's been awhile since I've posted about any of the children with cancer whose stories I follow online. I've tried many times to back off of the number of kids that I check on continually but it seems that there is always another one that captures my heart.

Unfortunately today, two more have lost their earthly battle with cancer. Ethan Powell, whose story I've followed for over a year, died shortly before noon today. Ethan celebrated his first birthday in December and lived most of his short life with this dreaded disease. His life was filled with treatments that can kill as easily as the monster they are intended to fight but are the only hope or chance these children have for life. Ethan was his parents first and only child and today they had to let go of their precious son. I can't imagine. His parents time with him was filled with medicine, tubes, transplants, living in and out of suitcases in Memphis, Tennessee, either at St. Jude or near it in one facility or another to be near his treatment center. I ache for them. I pray for them.

Emily Lester was an 18 year old young woman who succumbed to cancer early this morning. She had fought cancer from the age of twelve when she received her first diagnosis and succeeded in kicking cancer's butt on two occasions before this last diagnosis came in January of this year. Before January, Emily was doing great, she had been accepted at Duke University and finally believed she had a whole and happy and healthy life in front of her. She was a walking testimony to those still in the battle who needed to see what a survivor looked like... what it looks like to be a winner. Her body gave out this morning but she is still a winner, just in a different way. This morning she conquered cancer one final time and it can never hurt her again. It will however, continue to break the hearts of all who cared for her.

Please pray for the families of these victims of the most horrendous and vicious of all killers... childhood cancer.

On Ethan's site, you have to click the updates button, just below the header, to read current entries about his struggle and his parent's faith.

One more time, I utter the words, I hate cancer!

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