"I realized this was not about me, but about how God has worked in my life..."
Darbe and Shannon Gosda could have never imagined that their life as newlyweds would begin the way it did in July of 2001. They would wed, move temporarily to Las Vegas and start a family. They soon learned that their plan might not be the same as God's.
Shortly before the wedding, Darbe had some pain in his left side and during their honeymoon, Darbe's pain increased. Upon their return to Las Vegas, Shannon was able to obtain an appointment for the next day, and after seeing the doctor, an x-ray and MRI determined that Darbe had renal carcinoma, or kidney cancer.
Darbe's first reaction was shock and fear. He had lost three grandparents to cancer, and an uncle to kidney cancer, when he was a boy. It didn't take long for Darbe's faith to kick in, though, and he began making phone calls to his four brothers and parents in Houston, and members of his and Shannon's Bible study group also in Houston. He asked for their prayers and support, and soon he and Shannon were the focus of a giant network of faith and prayer. He has now been cancer-free for 2 years.
Darbe and Shannon attribute his recovery to God, and they have since realized that He did indeed have a plan for both of them. Instead of having a "why me" attitude, they feel that God gave them the blessing of their cancer experience in order to help others who might be going through a similar experience. They heard about CanCare through Christ the King Church and decided volunteering for an organization full of faith-filled men and women was the right fit for them.
CanCare of Houston, Inc. is an interfaith cancer support network providing free one-on-one, long-term emotional support to cancer patients and their families. CanCare's trained volunteers are cancer survivors or family members of survivors, providing friendship, hope, and encouragement to cancer patients and their family members. Since its founding in 1990,
CanCare has touched the lives of more than 70,000 people through its various program services. Rooted in the religious community, CanCare's services are supported by 64 Houston area congregations including Christ the King Lutheran Church, six hospitals and nine corporations.
They both completed the CanCare training about a year ago, and Darbe now councils with referrals, and Shannon with caregivers. Darbe speaks at many CanCare functions, and Shannon writes CanCare newsletter articles and mans CanCare booths at healthcare seminars. They both have plans to volunteer for CanCare at Methodist Hospital. They feel blessed to be involved with an organization like CanCare that is spiritually based and provides such a source of hope and support for cancer patients and their caregivers.
As Darbe reflects on the last 2 years, "I realized this was not about me, but about how God has worked in my life and how I can be a living testimony for Him. I learned to have total trust in Him, and try to let His light shine through me. Hopefully that will help others going through similar situations. It's an honor to be able to serve."
If you or a family member is struggling with cancer, CanCare can help. Call CanCare at 713-461-0028 or visit www.cancare.org. A new class of CanCare volunteers will soon begin training.