If you missed the news I shared during my talk on Sunday at Welcome Church, I wanted to take a moment to explain a little more fully what we are currently walking through as a family.
I have cancer
That’s not a sentence I expected to be writing in a church blog. The good news — and there really is good news here — is that this is a very low-grade form of cancer and it is not considered life-threatening. Even so, it does mean surgery, and it does mean a season that will require prayer, patience, and trust.
Here’s what’s going on
Back in September, I found a lump under my right arm, on the side of my chest. It was painful, and after seeing my GP I was sent for an ultrasound scan and then an MRI. In November, the consultant in Guildford referred me to the Sarcoma Team at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
On December 16th, I had a biopsy to determine whether the lump was benign or a type of low-grade cancer called an ALT (Atypical Lipomatous Tumour). I received the results on January 22nd, and it has been confirmed as an ALT.
This was not the outcome Jo and I had hoped or prayed for. That said, there is genuine reassurance in the diagnosis. The tumour is well-differentiated, which means it is slow-growing and very unlikely to spread elsewhere in the body, unless left untreated long term. This is not the kind of cancer that normally shortens life expectancy — something we are deeply grateful for, especially after walking through a lot of uncertainty during the autumn and the run up to Christmas.
The challenge is that, left untreated, the tumour will simply continue to grow — and it’s already quite large. Because of its location, that growth would cause increasing physical problems over time — and it’s already painful. Also if left long term it could spread, so for these reasons, surgery is necessary.
What happens next?
I’m scheduled for surgery at The Royal Marsden in early March. The aim is to remove the tumour completely.
I’ve been warned that the surgery may not be straightforward.
The lump I can feel is only part of it. The tumour extends into my shoulder and has grown around the brachial artery (the main artery supplying the arm), as well as several important nerves that affect movement and sensation. Because of that, the surgeon has been very open that this is very risky surgery, with a possibility of lasting weakness, numbness, or restricted movement in my arm or shoulder.
Even so, it does need to come out, and they need to make sure they get all of it.
The surgery will be done under general anaesthetic, I’ll be in hospital for several days, and there will be a period of recovery afterwards. This isn’t how we imagined the start of this year — but we remain thankful that the situation is not far more serious. It’s low-grade. It hasn’t spread. And we’re receiving excellent care.
Please Pray
We would really value your prayers in the weeks ahead:
- For us and our family, as we navigate what has been an emotionally demanding season
- For wisdom and skill for the surgeons and medical team
- For no delays in treatment
- For a successful operation with no lasting damage
And yes — please also pray boldly. Pray for God’s healing. Pray for his intervention. We believe God is able, and we are asking him to do what only He can do, even as we place our trust in the care we’ve been given.
Walking this road with faith
I committed my life to Jesus as a child more than forty years ago. That commitment hasn’t insulated us from difficult situations, but it does mean we don’t walk through it alone.
As I shared on Sunday, while preaching from Genesis 39, faithfulness is often forged in disappointment. We don’t yet know exactly how this will unfold, but we do know who holds us — and that is enough for today.
In case you missed the talk, here’s a link: https://www.welcomechurch.uk/sermons/genesis-39-disappointment-god-meant-it-for-good
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