There's no background information about this video. We just know that it captures the journey of a young cancer survivor named Maddie.

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Carolyn Parks found comfort in funny movies and stand up comedy after her diagnosis:

When Carolyn Parks came home from surgery to treat her breast cancer, she asked her husband to rent her as many funny movies as he could find.

She stayed away from bad news on television and in the newspapers.

"I was in a crisis. I couldn't deal with a crisis," Parks said.

... Parks was a founding member of a Calgary dragon boat racing team of women with breast cancer in 1998. Her teammates' stories inspired her to write the book The Eye of the Dragon -- Women, Cancer and Courage.

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Australian musician, singer, actress, and cancer survivor performs two songs and talks about her battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

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David Jenkins, Director of M. D. Anderson's Chaplaincy department has reviewed this 90 day devotional for women that includes passages written by cancer survivors:

The power of this devotional is that it is real-life, in-the-trenches stories of how faith has impacted the journeys of several cancer survivors. I highly recommed this inspirational resource.

The Houston Chronicle has more:

Susan Sorensen knows what it's like to hear a cancer diagnosis. She's heard it twice. First, at 19, with thyroid cancer. Three years ago, at 41, she developed breast cancer.

She credits her devout faith for seeing her through those difficult times.

"There is so much unknown when you first get diagnosed," the Houston native said. "I put my trust in the Lord, and by doing this I was able to rise above the fear."

Sorensen, a former staff member for Campus Crusade for Christ International, collaborated with friend Laura Geist, also a cancer survivor, on the just-released book, Praying Through Cancer: Set Your Heart Free From Fear.

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Lifeline Chaplaincy is pleased to announce the following continuing education seminar for pastoral caregivers and church leaders:

What's Going On Here? Self-Awareness in the Pastoral Visit
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
6-9 p.m.
Lifeline Chaplaincy
1415 Southmore Blvd. (in the Museum District)

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As the world's only known platinum-selling Hasidic Jewish dancehall-reggae sensation, metaphysical MC and human beatbox, Matthew "Matisyahu' Miller cuts a distinctly awkward figure amongst the gallery of image-obsessed, MTV-endorsed, chart phenomena he's recently found himself rubbing shoulders and sharing airspace with. Standing at an imposing six-feet plus and sporting the traditional shaven head, unruly beard and long, flowing sideburns, or payoth, of the Ultra-Orthodox Eastern European branch of Judaism known as Hasidism, the 26 year-old Brooklynite is perhaps 2006's oddest - and most strikingly original - crossover artist. His music - a heady broth of hip-hop beats and vibrant, accessible reggae-pop - is infused with unabashed lyrical celebrations of his faith and the Jewish condition ("3,000 years with no place to be/And they want me to give up my milk and honey/Don't you see, it's not about the land or the sea/Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty" he sings on "Jerusalem"), and has been variously dismissed as a novelty curio by some, and hailed as the advent of a truly original voice by others. The man himself remains ambivalent about suggestions that his success lies in the fact that no one's ever seen an Orthodox Jew beatboxing before, stating simply that, "This is me. If anyone thinks I'm a novelty, they should come to a show, close their eyes, listen, and decide on their own whether or not it moves them."

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A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Throughout our Nation's history, our citizens have prayed and come together before God to offer Him gratitude, reflect on His will, seek His aid, and respond to His grace. On this National Day of Prayer, we thank God for His many blessings and His care of our country.

God has greatly blessed the American people, and in 1789, George Washington proclaimed: "It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor." Americans remain a prayerful and thankful people. We pray for the safety of our troops as they carry out dangerous missions with courage and compassion, and we remember the strength and sacrifice of their families. We pray for the good people of the Gulf Coast region as they work to rebuild their communities after the devastating hurricanes of 2005, and we thank God for the volunteers who have opened their hearts to help their neighbors in a time of need. We pray for the protection of innocent lives and for the expansion of peace and liberty throughout the world.

Through prayer, our faith is strengthened, our hearts are humbled, and our lives are transformed. May our Nation always have the humility to trust in the goodness of God's plans.

The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has called on our Nation to reaffirm the role of prayer in our culture and to respect the freedom of religion by recognizing each year a "National Day of Prayer."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 4, 2006, as a National Day of Prayer. I ask the citizens of our Nation to give thanks, each according to his or her own faith, for the freedoms and blessings we have received and for God's continued guidance and protection. I urge all Americans to join in observing this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtieth.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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News of a new program from Chaplaincy Director David Jenkins:

For those in the community who are interested in shadowing a chaplain here at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, please respond to this message. We can arrange the visit at your convenience. Typically, the visit will last 2 hours, and will include an opportunity to learn how chaplains make pastoral visits. The visit includes a package of resources you may find useful when caring for cancer patients and families. Validated parking will be provided.

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