Sherri Kubly, Edgewood, IA

My husband and I are general contractors and we were building a new home in summer 2014 when I noticed Kevin struggling to process simple concepts. When he made three attempts to build one wall, I knew something was wrong.

We scheduled a doctor appointment and I requested an MRI. The doctor suggested depression was the problem and prescribed antidepressants. However, Kevin’s condition grew worse and we switched doctors in December. He underwent an MRI on Dec. 23.

The medical staff detained us in a small waiting area. The phone rang and our new doctor was on the line. Kevin had a large tumor in the center of his brain and he needed to be admitted to the hospital.

I told her we were going home to celebrate Christmas with our children and grandchildren. She could call the next day with a “plan B.” The next day (Christmas Eve), she made an appointment for us with the oncologist the following Monday.

I hung up the phone. How strange that we would be seeing an oncologist. I was shaken up and felt like I was falling apart.

I called CHM and spoke with Sherry Wyscarver, our Needs Processing representative. Since we were relatively new to CHM, I asked if there was any doctor or hospital from whom we couldn’t seek treatment.

She gently explained that all I needed to worry about was taking care of Kevin. She prayed with me over the phone. “I feel that God is going to be glorified through this journey you are on,” she said.

I sunk to my knees after we hung up and prayed for peace, wisdom and strength. In that moment, I felt like God picked me up. To this day, I don’t think He ever put me back down.

We enjoyed celebrating Christmas together and asked our daughter, who has a medical background, to join us as an advocate during the oncologist appointment.

The tumor couldn’t be surgically removed and appeared to be a Stage 3, fast-growing tumor. If that were true, we were told that Kevin had about three months to live. Doctors recommended further testing and referred us to a reputable hospital several hours away.

We had an appointment on Jan. 21 and a biopsy scheduled for Jan. 27. There was only one MRI appointment available before the biopsy. The billing office told us we had to pay $6,000 before it was scheduled. The biopsy would cost even more.

I called Sherry immediately. She asked me to hand the phone to the billing representative. After a while, everything was resolved and I was back on the phone with Sherry. “Don’t worry about anything,” she said. I was flooded with peace.

Our prayers were answered when the biopsy showed Stage 2 cancer rather than Stage 3. Though he wasn’t yet out of the woods, we had hope that Kevin would be with us a while longer.

After simultaneous radiation and chemotherapy, doctors are amazed at how well Kevin is doing. From the beginning, we were told treatment would only stop the growth—not reduce the size—of his tumor, but his tumor has indeed shrunk!

God has met our every need. CHM and its Brother’s Keeper program have shared nearly $300,000 thus far in medical expenses, and members have prayed on behalf of Kevin and our family. We’ve received hundreds of cards from members who shared encouragement, prayers, stories, pictures, videos and testimonies. God even worked through The American Cancer Society, which negotiated a $12 nightly rate at a nearby hotel during our six weeks of radiation therapy. In addition, we’ve become good friends with the physician’s assistant, who has shown an interest in our faith!

Every day I think about how blessed we are to have CHM in our lives. Thank you for your amazing support and prayers. Thank you, members, for your constant encouragement. We are blessed beyond measure because you are in our lives.