St. Jude's Breakthrough Treatment

St. Jude's Breakthrough Treatment--to GOD Be the Glory

How This St. Jude's Breakthrough Treatment Helped a 2-Year-Old Child Defeat Stage 4 Cancer:

"It Was Literally as Bad as it Gets"

News Staff

"His entire face and skull was full of cancer, and all of his bones were full of cancer. He had a large tumor that was present in the middle of his body." -Dr. Sara Federico

(Memphis, TN)— [CBN News] Gideon Purchase's appearance today of a happy, lively 2-year-old hides the long battle he's fought for most of his life.

At six months of age, he began losing his appetite and wasn't sleeping. More fussy than usual, his parents thought all of the symptoms were related to teething.

Then a yellowish bruise appeared over one eye. The next day, it covered both eyes and a lump appeared on his head.

A quick visit to the doctor resulted in a devastating diagnosis for his parents—stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma.

"It's literally as bad as it gets," Gideon's mother Katie Purchase told NBC's Today.

The boy was taken by Medivac to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where scans revealed the spread of the disease.

"His entire face and skull was full of cancer, and all of his bones were full of cancer," recalled St. Jude physician Dr. Sara Federico. "He had a large tumor that was present in the middle of his body."

But through the mercy of God, there was hope for Gideon. St. Jude doctors had a plan to attack the cancer that was growing in his body.

They treated Gideon using a new technique combining an antibody with chemotherapy at the beginning, middle and end of treatment.

"The early results are surpassing all of our wildest expectations," Federico said.

Within six weeks of the new clinical trial, Gideon saw amazing progress.

"He went from 84 percent of his marrow having tumors to zero percent," Federico explained.

The tumors on his face, arms, and legs completely disappeared and others had dramatically shrunk. However, Gideon still had to undergo a bone marrow transplant and follow up radiation treatments.

"Being how aggressive this disease is, they can't leave one cell alive," his father, Gary, said.

After 15 months of treatment, Gideon's doctors finally declared him healthy.

"You yearn for the day when you're not toting around an entire IV tree behind your kid," Gary said. "And then it happens, and you just kind of sit there like, 'Wow. We made it!'"

Today, Gideon is a cancer-free, rambunctious young boy. His parents say they appreciate every moment with him.

"It makes you appreciate the little things. Suddenly, life's problems just don't seem like a big deal anymore," Gary said. "He makes us treasure every day. To God be the glory"

Words to Ponder

Words to Ponder

The BIBLE

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever." Psalm 107:1

Quotes of Presidents

"Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves." Abraham Lincoln

Wise Words

" When you turn a blind eye to atrocities, you are complicit in them." David Crossman

Franklin Graham Responds to Matt Lauer Scandal

Franklin Graham Responds to Matt Lauer Scandal:
"Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You Out" by Leah Marieann Klett
"This is a warning to all of us to examine our lives." -Franklin Graham
...

(New York, NY)—[Gospelherald.com]

Evangelist Franklin Graham said the firing of longtime "Today Show" anchor Matt Lauer over sexual misconduct allegations is a "warning to all of us to examine our lives."

The son of Billy Graham and founder of Samaritan's Purse weighed in on the controversy in a Facebook post:

"What we're seeing in the recent string of what is termed 'misconduct' really boils down to a morality issue--people failing to follow God's standards, and that is called sin," he contended. "The Bible tells us '... be sure your sin will find you out.' This is a warning to all of us to examine our lives."

The evangelist emphasized that the commandment doesn't just apply to movie stars, media personalities, and politicians, but to everyone.

"One sin leads to others and can have a great impact on our own lives and the lives of those around us," he said. "Sin has devastating consequences--here on earth, and for eternity. But God is anxious for us to come to Him in repentance and ask for His forgiveness and help. True healing comes through trusting Jesus Christ in faith and following Him as the Lord of our lives."

Adorned by the Doctrine of God

Adorned by the Doctrine of God

From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman

"Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things" (Titus 2:9-10).

The island of Crete was known for its corruption and many false gods. It was also the center of the jewelry trade. Thus, the use of the word "adorn" in the above passage may have been intentional by Paul due to this fact.

Titus and the believers in Crete were challenged by Paul to adorn their lives with the doctrine of God. Whenever you are challenged by an environment that is corrupt and ungodly, you have an opportunity to let your light shine before those in that culture.

The greater the corruption, the greater your light can shine. It is not a time to flee, it is a time to shine brighter.

Paul addressed five unique things believers could do:

1) Be obedient to their masters. They were to submit to their authority structures

2) Be well pleasing in all things. This meant doing their work with excellence

3) Not answer back. They were to handle conflict with wisdom and courtesy

4) Not pilfer. They were not to steal, but model integrity

5) Show all good fidelity. This meant demonstrating loyalty and dependability

Do you find your environment difficult to work in?

The answer is to live to glorify the Lord in the midst of your culture. The way you live your life will be viewed by many others.

An industry survey revealed the average person will come in contact with 300 people over the course of a year through their work. What better opportunity to let your life be adorned by the doctrine of God.

St. Francis Assisi agrees: He encouraged believers in his day to "preach the gospel always and when necessary use words."