Leon Sloan

In 1991, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and received radiation seed implants as treatment. For the next eight years, I was cancer free. During that time, I began my retirement, after almost 30 years with Chrysler Corporation, and was really relishing the extra time I now had with my family, including my six grandchildren.

Then, I had a recurrence of prostate cancer. Not happy with the treatment my urologist suggested, I returned to the oncologist who’d done my radiation surgery in 1991. He suggested some herbal treatments, but, when they quit working, he recommended external radiation.

My wife and I had heard about Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), so we called. Our first contact was with an oncology information specialist who was very helpful. We went on the website and learned about a treatment they had called brachy therapy. I wanted to know if I qualified for that, so we called and then came to Tulsa in September 2001 to talk to the doctors. Because I’d had the seed implants, I didn’t qualify for brachy treatment and would need the radiation treatment I’d already been told I’d need.

But I really liked the whole person treatment and approach CTCA offered, so after going home, praying and thinking through the options, we decided to return to CTCA for seven weeks of radiation treatment.

Once I completed those, I simply returned to Tulsa every six months for check-ups. Everything seemed to be going well, but I sensed some discomfort in my abdomen in early 2005. When I mentioned this to Dr. Flynn, the radiation oncologist, in March, he suggested we do a scan, and it showed that I had non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The next month, I met with Dr. Brunk, the oncologist, and he put me on oral chemo. It was working, but then, in November, the lymph nodes began to harden again, so we began a series of intravenous chemo treatments, which I’m still undergoing.

From the very beginning of this journey with cancer, I’ve looked at it as a means God could use to teach me about what He desires in my life. I don’t want it to be wasted … and it can be, if I don’t let it draw me closer to God and equip me to minister better to others.

Since I went on the intravenous chemo, I’ve really seen God at work. I’ve meditated quite a bit on James 1:2-3, where the Bible talks about counting it all joy when you’re going through various trials and tribulations. Those trials, it says, are given to us to teach us endurance, and, in turn, endurance matures or perfects our faith, our loving trust in Him. As I’ve meditated on that passage, I’ve been more open to learn what God’s teaching me, and I’m learning how to really be alive and live with cancer without cancer being the overriding focus in my life.

As a result, I can see more and more Scripture applicable to my life, and that’s brought me great spiritual blessing. Last month when I was here, in mid-week worship service, Brother Michael preached on the transformed life and not having two minds, from Romans 12. What he said added to what I’d been studying in Sunday School back home about letting God renew your mind so you could live a transformed life. Another Scripture that’s become more and more meaningful to me is Psalm 139: 23-24, which ends with the psalmist asking God to search him and try him and see if there’s any wicked way in him and lead him in the way everlasting. As I thought about the way everlasting, God spoke to my heart that He is doing just that with me, leading me in the everlasting way.

We chose CTCA because of the whole person treatment. And when we first started coming here, we attended every class they had to learn how to deal well with my cancer. I really think every patient at CTCA should take all the classes offered. They’re excellent. I don’t think you can separate the mind, body and spirit and accomplish the healing that’s needed with cancer. All aspects of the person are important for healing. I don’t condemn other places; I just think they aren’t as well trained as the folks at CTCA. I like my team here – my oncologist, radiologist, naturopath, nutritionist, chaplain, mind/body counselor. Each one has a duty, responsibility and place in my treatment. They provide encouragement and strength in every area – mind, body and spirit.

Cancer has helped me realize that what counts the most in my life aren’t material things but spiritual matters. My greatest desire is to be what God wants me to be. I want to let H-im mold and make me into what He wants. As I study Scripture and see the great men and women of the Bible, I see that God uses trials and tribulations as part of that molding process.

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