Christian author and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada announced last week that she has officially been declared cancer-free after being diagnosed in November with recurrent breast cancer. She considers the health news to be something of a miracle.
Tada, who is also the founder of Joni and Friends, shared a photo of herself with a sign that read “ALL CLEAR” to Facebook, and included a bible verse as the caption. “Proverbs 25:25 says, ‘Good news from far away is like cold water to a thirsty soul,'” she wrote. “That perfectly describes Ken (her husband) and me today.”
Read MoreTada, 69, was diagnosed for the first time about 8 years ago, with stage 3 breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy at that time — and was declared cancer-free. However, during routine testing last year, doctors discovered the tumor, which had developed over the site of her mastectomy. The recurrence took Tada away from her work with Joni and Friends for a bit — the organization’s mission is to “accelerate Christian ministry in the disability community” throughout the world. They established the Joni and Friends International Disability Center in California in 2007. However, after having her tumor removed and undergoing a series of radiation treatments, Tada announced in May that she would be returning to work with Joni and Friends.
"My limited lung capacity certainly hasn't put limits on my energy, as long as I occasionally check my oxygen levels and do deep-breathing exercises," Tada wrote on the Joni and Friends website at the time. "True, I'm a little more susceptible to colds now, so anyone who helps me with lunch, gives me drinks of water, or puts on my lipstick has to first wash their hands. But my coworkers are more than glad to comply if it keeps me healthy."
Tada also mentioned in that post, and in her recent update to Facebook, that she continues to thank Jesus everyday. A lot of people from every religious background turn to faith during their cancer battles. Countless survivors have told us here at SurvivorNet that it can be extremely comforting to look to a higher power to get you through the biggest hardships. It Tada’s case, she shared with her followers that while she was willing to accept whatever plan God had for her, she always did feel that it was more “needful for Christ” that she remain on Earth to continue her work.
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