Peter Folk's Challenges

I am a survivor of colon/rectal cancer.

I have been facing some challenges in my life. I found out that I had rectal cancer on June 14, 1996. I was in St. Paul's Hospital for surgery (abdominal perineal resection and colostomy) on July 5th and was off work until August 19. I had six months of Chemo (5FU/Leukovorin) starting August 12. I had six weeks of radiation therapy starting October 15. My final day of radiation was November 25 - wahoo!  My final day of chemotherapy was February 28, 1997. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee! Done!

With every cancer, there a numerous checkups and follow-ups done. So far, all checkups have been clear - no sign of cancer returning!

UOA of Canada Inc. (United Ostomy Association of Canada)

Saskatoon Ostomy Association

Read some ideas on coping with cancer - a helpful file compiled by Mary Basson. I invite you to visit my prayer list - some prayers I have put together with nice pictures and background music - check it out!

"Illness is a paradoxical state: On the one hand it is an impediment to the person, leading to the firsthand experience of one's own limits and fragility; on the other hand it puts us in direct contact with the cross of Christ and opens new doors to us." (Pope John Paul II, Sept. 6, 1996 in Budapest)  "Dear children! Today I invite you to offer your crosses and suffering for my intentions. Little children, I am your mother and I wish to help you by seeking for you the grace from God. Little children, offer your sufferings as a gift to God so they become a most beautiful flower of joy. That is why, little children, pray that you may understand that suffering can become joy and the cross the way of joy. Thank you for having for responded to my call." - The message from Our Lady in Medjugorje. Wed, 25 Sep 1996.

See more messages from Medjugorje

"Christ is saying this again, to us, whispering it in our ears: the cross EACH DAY. As St. Jerome puts it: `Not only in time of persecution or when we have the chance of martyrdom, but in all circumstances, in everything we do and think, in everything we say, let us deny what we used to be and let us confess what we now are, reborn as we have been in Christ' ("Epistola" 121, 3) [...]. Do you see? The DAILY cross. No day without a cross; not a single day in which we are not to carry the cross of the Lord, in which we are not to accept His yoke" ([Blessed] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 58 and 176). "There is no doubt about it: a person who loves pleasure, who seeks comfort, who flies from anything that might spell suffering, who is overanxious, who complains, who blames and who becomes impatient at the least little thing which does not go his way -- a person like that is a Christian only in name; he is only a dishonor to his religion for Jesus Christ has said so: Anyone who wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross every day of his life, and follow Me" (St. John Mary Vianney, "Selected Sermons", Ash Wednesday).