Faith in Action

 

In thinking of someone who was the first person to do a particular thing, who comes to mind? John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth? Or maybe Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first humans to walk on the moon?

 Being the initial one to do something must be scary because of the unknown factors involved, and yet exciting at the same time. It has to involve both faith and action. In the case of the astronauts, perhaps they put faith in NASA, maybe also in God, while taking on the risky tasks assigned to them.

 The medical field is another vast area of exploration and discovery. Its leaders are constantly researching new cures for diseases and ways to help people suffering from various maladies. For the past six weeks, our daughter, Shanda Lowery-Sachs, has had the opportunity to be involved with a brand-new clinical study aimed at helping people with a particular form of cancer in the cerebral/spinal fluid known as Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD).

When Shanda was first diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, she was told that even after receiving all of the recommended treatments—chemotherapy, surgery and radiation—the cancer would most likely come back in another area of the body. This happened much sooner than she and her husband expected, when cancer of the same type was discovered in her brain.

She again went through surgery and radiation, this time on the brain. Thankfully, she was able to go back to playing full-time as a musician in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and jumped into a busy schedule of activities with her two young sons.

Eventually she decided to look for another healthcare system and was referred to an oncologist through the University of Michigan’s Rogel Cancer Center. That doctor specialized in breast cancer metastasis to the brain.

After many MRIs and tests, it was discovered that although the radiated tumors had either shrunk or were stabilized, there was a new type of cancer that had spread to the lining of her brain and spinal column. The new cancer, LMD, had no known treatment.

This was devastating news to Shanda, her husband Chris and the whole family. LMD was also a very aggressive form of cancer. Once the symptoms began, the cancer usually spread quickly. Thankfully, in Shanda’s case it was discovered early before there were any symptoms.

Her doctor was able to keep up with any new spots that developed through scans and also gave her infusions of several medications with the intention of trying to slow it down. When Shanda began having a few symptoms related to the LMD, she was referred by that doctor to a Neuro oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer in New York City, Dr. Boire.

The two doctors were well acquainted…the one at U of M having trained alongside Dr. Boire, who later became specialized in the treatment of LMD. After setting up a lab to test an experimental drug that was known to leach iron out of the body, Dr. Boire was ready to try it on humans. Iron was thought to be the substance on which the LMD was feeding. Would the new drug leach out the iron in the cerebral/ spinal fluid and starve the disease?

Shanda was asked to participate in the clinical trial. For Chris and Shanda, this was very hopeful news. Not only did it bring a new ray of hope, it also meant that by being the first person in the trial, she would be opening the door for many other LMD patients as well.

“So, you’re famous then?” asked her young son, Elliot when she told the boys about it.

She explained that people would probably not know her name, but that she felt excited to be able to do this, not only for herself but also for others. And the new drug is working to significantly reduce the “circulating” tumor cell count. Praise God!

Shanda is pairing her faith with action. Both are needed. Both are necessary. May we be willing to do the same!

 “Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.” James 2:21-24 NIV

Picture: Chris & Shanda Sachs, Kendra (24), Kevin (21), Nate (13), Elliot (11)