The chaplains at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Chaplaincy Department have found this to be a very helpful resource for cancer patients and families. Virgil's book is available for purchase online.

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David Jenkins, Director of M. D. Anderson Chaplaincy found the following article to be informative because it supports the notion that spirituality is essentially the human capacity to experience the trans-empirical. That means that every person, regardless of whether they consider themselves religious or not, is capable of exercising their spiritual capacity.

"The spiritual care I received at the hospital helped me find the strength in myself to deal with the disease," says Ora Haviv, 62, who developed lung cancer following exposure to asbestos. Haviv does not define herself as religious, and says she does not believe in God. Nevertheless, reading the Bible and other texts helped her contend with her illness, she says.

"I was told I had half a year to 11 months to live, and 30 months have gone by since then," she says. "I found myself reading verses from Psalms - like 'I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come?' - and analyzing them in a non-religious manner. But beyond studying the texts, the spiritual care enabled me to emerge from the great loneliness that stems from the inability to share my plight with friends and family."

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Saku Koivu faced the challenge of his life in the fall of 2001. Like a true leader, he fought through it, and was there for his teammates when they needed him most. To further prove he was truly healthy, the following season, Koivu played in all 82 games for just the second time, and posted a career best 71 points. In surviving this ordeal, Koivu proved to everyone that he is a true leader, and silenced all of his critics in the process. As we approach the 2004-05 season and beyond, Koivu remains a key cog in the organization, and whenever he leaves, he will go down as one of the most memorable and celebrated players in the storied history of the Montreal Canadiens.

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Marshal Scott's sermon was presented at the annual meeting of the Assembly of Episcopal Healthcare Chaplains:

The road from Jerusalem to Emmaus is seven miles. Cleopas and his companion walk that long road, walking in shock and bewilderment. Trying to make sense of it all, they are talking of the past few days, of loss and hope and mystery and confusion. They walk and talk, and realize they are not alone. Someone is with them, someone who at first seems clueless, and then seems to know more than they do about their subject. Once he is on their topic he explains to them the context for what has happened - how scripture predicted it, how prophets foretold it, how the love of God required it. He speaks and carries them with him, and suddenly the road is not so long. He stops with them when they ask. He sits at table, he breaks bread, he is Jesus - Jesus whom they know, Jesus whom they love, Jesus whom they mourn - and then he is gone. He is gone, but his presence continues to lift them up, and they run - they run as if their feet had wings - all that long road back to Jerusalem; and they remember that while he was with them their poor, sad hearts were not cold anymore.

Every hospital has a corridor that, at 2:00 a.m., seems seven miles long, and longest when we walk it with a grieving family. And as we walk with them, at first we seem clueless - we are clueless. But as we walk with them by God's grace we can reflect to them the presence of Christ. We may not break bread with most of them. We may not even share the same scriptures. But we can reflect that presence. We can provide a context, because we know what the Scriptures promised, what prophets foretold, what God's love has accomplished.

Every hospital has a corridor that, at 2:00 a.m., seems seven miles long, and longest when we walk it with a grieving family. But we can walk with them, as Christ walked to Emmaus. We can share the love of Christ, made visible in us; and by God's grace their walk can seem shorter; their feet can feel lighter, and their poor, sad hearts can feel less cold.

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MD Net Guide has a piece on the Medical blogosphere that includes several interesting links and a great introduction to blogging:

...there comes a time in every physician's life when he or she just wants a place to tell a funny story, scream to the heavens about the frustrations of HIPAA compliance, complain about a recalcitrant patient, or otherwise blow off steam. "That's the beauty of blogs. If they want to be self-indulgent, they can," says Kevin Pho, MD (blog home: www.kevinmd.com). "This is not for business. It's for patients, but it is also for myself and other doctors, too." Dr. Pho, whose own blog is visited by some 200 readers each day, adds that "It's a way to argue and debate medical issues, whether it's the cost of practice or universal healthcare, [but] it's also just a way to keep in touch with writing"

Blogosphere is the collective term encompassing all weblogs or blogs as a community or social network. Many weblogs are densely interconnected; bloggers read others' blogs, link to them, reference them in their own writing, and post comments on each others' blogs. Because of this, the interconnected blogs have grown their own culture. Other terms in use include Blogtopia, Blogspace and Blogistan.

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The Flickr cancer clusters are a library of thousands of photos related to cancer that people have chosen to share on the web. It's a fascinating resource that you can spend hours exploring.

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More thoughts on prayer from Kansas City Star columnist Bill Tammeus:

I'm only in my early 60s, so I've not had nearly enough time to figure out everything about prayer. Thus, all I can give you are what I might call my tentative conclusions.

I think prayer, at its foundation, is a way to acknowledge that there is something larger than us, something transcendent and benevolent -- a something that, in my Protestant Christian tradition, is not a something at all but a someone.

In this way prayer can be understood as a courageous shout of affirmation into the universe that we are not alone, however much we may feel that way. Which is why prayer is so important for people of faith precisely in those spiritually dry times when God seems to have forsaken us.

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We had a packed house for the launch of the Rostered Professional Program. Many thanks to all of the participants and contributors. Look for a detailed report here in the next day or two!

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Newly diagnosed breast cancer patient Heather Brewer found answers and support in the Pink Ribbon Ministry faith-based support group:

"I had so many questions on what to expect," Brewer said.

She began attending Pink Ribbon Ministry meetings and met women in various stages of their lives, from a woman in her 70s who was a 30-year breast cancer survivor, to younger women like herself.

"It's just been so nice to sit in a group of people and ask, 'how was it like for you,' " Brewer said.

The faith-based support group began about four years ago when the parish health nurse, Elaine Hausen , decided to bring together some of the women she was helping individually. She thought it might be better for them to discuss their experiences with each other. Hausen had not had breast cancer, and did not think she could truly relate to them.

After about a year, the women she introduced decided to begin an outreach ministry to help other women within the church and in the rest of the community learn about and manage their cancer. There are at least 15 women who attend meetings on a regular basis.

They hand out packets of informational materials on cancer awareness, prevention and treatment; offer meals to women undergoing treatments; drive women to their doctor visits; meet with husbands and other family members; and even go wig shopping with women who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy.

"They just do so much," Hausen said. "I am so proud of these women. They have faced cancer and not let it beat them."

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Liz Farr has bone and liver cancer and has written a song "Thank You" to thank all those who have helped her on her journey. Her Son, Rob Farr has filmed her journey and is making a documentary.

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Wikipedia has a fascinating entry on prayer that covers a large number of Western and Eastern religions. A brief excerpt:

The great spiritual traditions offer a veritable treasure trove of devotional acts. There are morning and evening prayers, graces said over meals, and reverent physical gestures. Christians bow their heads and fold their hands. Native Americans dance. Sufis whirl. Hindus offer sacrifices. Orthodox Jews bob their heads back and forth. Quakers keep silent.

Among these methodologies are a variety of approaches to understanding prayer.

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Dr. Tom Gross, the emergency medical services director for the Novato Fire Protection District, on the power of meditation:

I was a "doubting Thomas." I thought that meditation was not for me; it was for those other kinds of people. An elderly man, a teacher, proved me wrong. He said, "Tom, don't take my word for it. You're a scientist. Try it on yourself. Give it eight weeks, and if you see no difference, then put it down and never come back."

That was 20 years ago.

After reading this column, some people will say to me, "Meditation? Doc, you are a real flake." Some people might look at me and just nod their heads, almost imperceptibly.

Some will come to me, alone, and ask quietly, "Hey, Doc, tell me more."

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An important health reminder from M. D. Anderson Orlando oncologist Gregory Pennock, M.D.:

Drink tea. Eat broccoli. No fried foods. Lots of fish. Lose weight. Exercise more. Stop smoking. You've probably heard of all these ways to prevent cancer. But why bother? Is any of it really doing any good? Doctors say yes ... Only 10 percent of cancers are caused by genetics. So how can you help prevent the other 90 percent?

"Several cancer types have a genetic background, but that's certainly not true of all cancer types," says Gregory Pennock, M.D., an oncologist at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Orlando, Fla.

Only 10 percent of cancer cases are genetic. That means what we do to our bodies makes a big difference. Now new studies lay out an action plan for your next trip to the grocery store.

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This video based on Institute of Medicine's report on cancer survivorship, which highlights the stuggles of life as a cancer survivor.

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We welcome submissions by cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and congregation leaders. Send us your story of hope, share helpful tips, or let us know if you're planning an event our community should know about it.

Email your story to John Little at jlittle@mdanderson.org and the Chaplaincy department will review it for publication.

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For many people, cancer is more than just a disease - it's a test of faith. At M. D. Anderson, we know that finding or reaffirming a belief in God or a Higher Power is part of the healing process.

As part of its Spiritual Pathways program, the Chaplaincy Department has created this weblog to share news, spiritually uplifting stories, and helpful tips with our community of patients, caregivers, and congregation leaders.

We hope that this weblog, along with the other components of our comprehensive chaplaincy network, helps our community find the support they need to cope with cancer and find a spiritual pathway to peace.

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M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and the Chaplaincy Fund, Inc., as well as charitable foundations, denominations, congregations, and individuals provide financial support for the Chaplaincy Department. Donations provide scripture, religious tracts and prayer pamphlets that offer encouragement to our patients. Financial assistance is also needed to underwrite the cost of our Clinical Pastoral Education program. Each year hundreds of individuals, corporations, congregations and foundations assist us in carrying out this important ministry. Contributions include support of the Chaplaincy Department through the Loving Hearts and Caring Hands Annual Awards Dinner, memorial remembrances, and planned giving through charitable gifts annuities, will bequests, and other estate planning opportunities.

The Chaplaincy Fund, Inc.
In 1974, an agreement was signed between M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Lutheran Hospital Foundation. It established the Department of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Education, an institutional and community based Chaplaincy Advisory Committee, and an endowment that would provide supplemental funding for the Chaplaincy Department. The Lutheran Hospital Foundation remains active today, through the Chaplaincy Fund Inc, in securing funding for the Department of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Education.

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