“Two are better than one, for they can help each other succeed." ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Daryl’s
hospitalization came without warning. Treatment followed swiftly—relentless and
aggressive. Consumed by the fight to survive, he had little mental space for
anything beyond the next round of therapy. The odds were clearly stacked
against him, and he knew it.
Against his
instincts, his wife Karyn urged him to be public about their situation - to be
open, honest, and authentic with friends, family, and their faith community.
Daryl resisted. Strength and self-sufficiency had always been core to his
identity. Accepting help felt like surrender.
Karyn saw it
differently, reminding him that Scripture calls believers to “carry
each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2), and “rejoice with those who
rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). To her, asking for help
wasn’t weakness, but humility. A circle of friends praying, encouraging, and helping
out wasn’t optional; it was essential for surviving the ordeal.
Her argument won.
Karyn created a
CaringBridge webpage to rally support and keep people informed without the
weight of countless individual updates. An introvert by nature, she preferred
the shadows to the spotlight. Every time she hovered over the “post” button,
fear rose in her chest.
Something inside kept
prompting her to continue posting until the miraculous day Daryl rang the
survivor’s bell. Even then, she kept writing, regularly, for a full year.
Three days before her
first post, a tornado struck their small community. Their home was partially
destroyed. Smaller paychecks, delays by the insurance company, and Daryl’s
chemo treatments paralyzed Karyn with the fear of becoming a bankrupt widow
living in a crumbling house.
Friends flew in
from afar to help repair the damage. Others called, offering donations for
materials, hot meals, and help navigating insurance paperwork. The generosity
was overwhelming.
The blog quickly
flooded with followers checking in for every update. She logged hundreds of
prayers, each one, she later realized, had been answered in tangible ways.
They were
sustained by a remarkable circle of friends, many of whom they’d never met.
Everyone’s
situation is different, so this isn’t a prescription for how others should
respond. Still, experience, and research, suggests that a loving community
plays a vital role in healing. American Cancer Society studies show that
survivors with strong emotional support often adjust better, maintain a more
hopeful outlook, and report a higher quality of life.
Never
underestimate the difference you can make in the life of someone facing cancer.
A new friend is an opportunity to lift you both higher, because different
people draw out different strengths within us.
Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of
true friendship - for the joy we share in good times and the grace of showing
up for one another when life is shaken. What a privilege it is to share good
times and be present for others when challenges disrupt our lives. Amen
