More of the Story:

There is so much more to my story than the short video can share. While I am in complete remission today, there is always a lingering fear that this thing may rear its ugly head again. I suppose some of the fear comes from the fact that, while I was under the vigilant, watchful care of a urologist for the five years previous, the cancer advanced to stage three before it was ever discovered.

The hardest part for me was putting my wife through this experience. Just a year and a half previous, her mother died from leukemia. We were present when she passed away in a palliative care facility. It was difficult watching her decline and pass away. Next, her father confessed that he was urinating blood. He never told us anything about it because we were caring for mom. By then it was too late. The only thing we could do was palliative treatments for his cancer. Once again, we were present as he passed away in the same palliative care facility.

The very next day, I received my news of stage three prostate cancer that had spread beyond the prostate barrier. It seemed like my wife had just buried her mom, had not yet made the funeral arrangements for her dad, and now I get the potential death sentence of CANCER. She was strong in the doctors office while I was angry; angry it wasn't caught sooner, angry they were scheduling further testing months out, and angry that my wife can't even grieve for her father. However, I was in complete awe of her strength and love for the Lord.

I felt numb as we walked to the parking lot of the doctors office. We sat in the truck for a few minutes before driving off. We cried a bit. We talked a little about our next steps. We wondered how we would tell the kids? I didn't want to verbalize this, but I was thinking, will I have much time with her and the grandbabies, or will I go as fast as her parents did? While I was in my own thoughts, she breaks the silence and looks at me with astounding resolve and courage, saying, "You know, I was just thinking. Why not us?"

WOW! What an amazing woman to come up with those words. No sorrow, only thoughts of God's sovereignty in our lives and every other life on this planet. I paused a moment in my thoughts and said, You're right. There is nothing to exclude us from the consequences of this world. We just need to wait and see how the Lord is going to glorify Himself through this.

From that moment in the truck, I knew I wanted to be an encouragement and a blessing to others in my journey. I wanted God to be glorified as I rested in his presence, sovereignty, and peace. And, I believe that has happened as I met doctors, nurses, technicians, scientists, patients, and their family members.

The Pitch:

That's why I'm asking for your financial support of the Hospitality House at McLaren Flint. You can be a tremendous blessing to others in need, and God can use you through the mission of the Hospitality House. I stayed there for a few evenings while undergoing treatments. It is a beautiful facility, staffed with loving people with a passion for those who are suffering. While there, I was blessed to hear other people's stories, share meals, pray with them, and hopefully provide a few words of encouragement as they walked their journeys. One thing I know for certain, they were an encouragement to me.

The Hospitality House provides a hope filled, peaceful, healing environment. They work hard at taking away people's everyday burden of needing to find a place to lay their head, a place to walk and contemplate their healing, a place to pray, a place to support others, and a place to bond and feel loved while receiving treatments. Many times, life long bonds are formed.

Patients travel hundreds of miles to seek state of the art treatments at the McLaren Proton Therapy Center. They need a place to stay, as treatments are every day for only 30 minutes out of the day.

About 42% of the people receiving treatment at the McLaren Proton Therapy Center cannot afford the minimum suggested donation of $35 per night for their stay. I have to say; I have spent a lot more money on hotels to meet the level of quality rooms the Hospitality House offers.

They consistently have four to five families staying with them each night, providing the natural support system for their loved ones receiving therapy.

The Hospitality House is near and dear to my heart and provides a much needed service to the care and healing of cancer patients.

Please hit the GIVE NOW button where your donation will go to the direct care of patients walking a difficult journey.

$35 will pay for a one night stay

$250 will pay for a weeks stay

$1,000 will cover the cost for an entire month

Thank you for your consideration and action.

- Dave