2020 Journey of Faith with Cancer {Guest Post}
The year 2020 has been a journey of faith, especially for those who have been courageously fighting cancer. Follower of Christ, and a Children’s Advocate, Faith Boehmer is one of those warriors.
I first met Faith when we both were freshmen at Gardner-Webb University. I remember Faith telling me a fascinating story about her parents. When her mom was 41 years old, she thought she had a stomach tumor. Faith’s dad, who was orphaned as a child and raised in a Baptist children’s home in North Carolina, became bitter and angry at God. For several months, Faith’s mom encouraged her husband, reminding him they needed to have faith. That’s exactly what they did, spiritually and physically. Two months after learning the “tumor” was a baby, she gave birth to my friend, Faith! Isn’t that a wonderful God-story?
Earlier this year, I learned Faith had embarked on a journey with cancer. I joined her Facebook prayer group and was so blessed by her transparency and her testimony that I asked if she’d share a bit of her journey with you.
Journey of Faith with Cancer
by Faith Boehmer
The Diagnosis of Cancer
In February 2020, the ER the doctor stated ‘you are very fortunate that you came in!’ The diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism overwhelmed me. It was a hard pill to swallow. A close call with death was a wakeup call for which I felt unprepared.
The embolism was discovered first. After I was admitted to the hospital, they drew blood and found my CA125 was elevated significantly. A CT scan revealed a mass on my right ovary. After a trip to see a gynecologist oncologist in UNC Chapel Hill, a complete hysterectomy was scheduled.
Following the event, I felt very alone. Not only was I facing the unknown with a mass, but COVID-19 hit. When I was at UNC following surgery I was by myself. It was quite a challenging time. Just learning I had ovarian cancer, I was alone in the hospital. I felt alone and separated from the outside world—my friends, my family, and my faith. For nearly eight months I looked at the same four walls, wishing I could see my people. I dealt with loneliness, fear, anger, and so many other emotions as I tried to grapple with my fate.
Being an outward processor, I knew I needed a way to share what I was feeling. A dear friend encouraged me to create a Facebook group that I could share prayer requests with whenever I was physically and emotionally able. Therefore, I created a group called Faith’s Health Journey. Through that group of over 300 people, I received encouragement. It was hard for me to engage in much conversation but when I was able to post an update, they breathed life into me. These folks came from many parts of my childhood, churches, college, work associates.
I’ve included a few excerpts from those Facebook posts to share with you my 2020 journey of faith with cancer.
Sharing the Journey
Asking God Why
Asking Friends to Pray
Waiting Is Hard
Waiting for my results was hard! Real hard! I had the head knowledge to trust. To believe. To have faith. Oh, I had so many thoughts run through my head. Both positive and negative. Yes, you’ve probably figured it out. I spent more energy in the negative then the positive.
The day I received my call from the UNC gynecologist oncologist office I wanted to talk to the three people that helped me fight so hard to get through all of the past months of tests, bloodwork, scans, SIX chemotherapy treatments, mental anguish and so much more. Once I made those calls, I felt that my world was getting better!
Good news! I rang the bell on August 11th! For me, ringing the bell meant I had crossed over the bridge. The wait from March 23, after having a complete hysterectomy, to finishing the last chemo treatment felt like a lifetime. Desiring for all of that to be behind me, I wanted to begin using the word survivor. Ringing that bell gave me hope and in some ways, healing. But honestly, I have to say days since then have challenged me. Many days, the enemy fills my mind with the “what-ifs” concerning future follow-up testing.
Everything Has Changed
I’m not who I was eight months ago before this sudden illness raised its ugly face at me–not physically, emotionally, or spiritually. I’m still fighting! I felt blessed that side effects during the treatment were minimal. However, since I finished the treatments, neuropathy has become a constant reminder that my life has changed. Neuropathy is painful, really painful. Typing a simple email hurts. It stings every time, not just in one finger, but all ten. I’m trusting that some of these side effects will go away or improve.
But mostly, I want to trust the one who created me and loved me from the very beginning. May MY life become a testament of his work in my life. And when this life on earth must come to a close, may my Lord be honored and glorified by how I chose to live for him.
We all are hopeful when facing uncertainties. We hope the answers will be the ‘answers’ we want to hear. As we all know, but have difficulty in thinking, let alone saying it, is that the answers we seek are not always what we ask for. This is when we must trust. Our faith must be the forefront of our lives.
What is Faith?
Growing up my mom always said that faith means ‘forsaking all, I trust him.’ I can hear her saying this even now. I heard it then. I know it to be the truth as I’ve dealt with my own health crisis this year.
But, I must admit, it has been incredibly difficult to fully embrace this. Some days are better than others. What I have discovered is the more transparent I am with my Heavenly Father, the closer I feel his presence.
If you’re tackling uncertainties today, I encourage you to allow your faith in Christ to become the core of your belief, no matter what you are facing.
Faith, thank you for sharing your heart and a portion of your life and faith journey with us. We are praising God for the work He has done in and through you. May the Lord continue to bless you and to use your testimony to encourage others who are facing challenges.
Faith Boehmer
A graduate of Gardner-Webb College, Faith works for a nonprofit Child Advocacy Center in Fayetteville, NC as the Prevention and Volunteer Coordinator. Working there for twelve years, she continues to bring awareness and educate the community about child abuse.
She and her husband, Scott have two daughters. Faith loves serving in her local church, leading ladies’ retreats and serving on mission trips.
