I Found GOD After Cancer Found Me

By Joey, a cancer survivor

Everyone has different needs when it comes to cancer. Each one finds a different way of coping with the diagnosis. For Joey, he found strength in religion and spirituality. He shares his story with us.

Life was good in early 1996. Looking for God was the last thing on my mind. A three-generation family living happily together under one roof in our new home at Pasir Ris was the greatest gift. I have my wife, two lovely young kids and my parents, a picture perfect family. I could not have asked for more.

I remembered we were all having a great time celebrating Chinese New Year when all the peace and happiness was rudely interrupted by bad news. The good times came to an abrupt stop. I was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo major surgery. It changed my whole life.

The surgery required me to have a stoma. It is a surgically created opening from inside of the body to the outside for which faeces is passed into a small bag. I have to carry this stoma bag until today. The doctors told me that I have advanced stage cancer and had only a few weeks to live. But it has been 9 years now.

God to me was certainly not real then. If God existed and if He is a loving and gracious God, how can He do this to me? How can this be happening to me? Why me? I felt bitter, sad and betrayed.

A group of patient, caring, compassionate and friendly ladies from a church visited both my family and I while I was in the hospital and even after my discharge. This group of ladies spent time praying for my family and me. They shared with me their love and care which soon made me feel the strong presence of the living and loving God. I learnt that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that He is alive today. What I feel is personal and not advocating that everyone follow my religion.

When my illness took a turn for the worse, I prayed for Jesus to come into my life, to be my Lord and God. I surrendered myself to Him in August 1996. I found peace and started to accept my condition. I was losing a lot of weight and the color of my skin was turning yellow. I started to prepare for my own closing.

Prayers and more prayers kept my family and I going to this very day. It’s been 9 tough but good years. My God has kept me alive. I may not free from cancer, but God has created a less rocky path for me to walk on. I am using this time to spend with fellow cancer friends, praying and walking along with them this rough, tough and painful journey. I’m getting to know and love God more with each passing day.