PRAYER

Blessings on you and your loved ones.

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Contents:

Overview
Helpful links
Sanctuary

Overview

There have been intriguing reports in the medical and cancer patient literature of studies and individuals where prayer made a difference in the patients' lives. The studies reported that patients are in the overwhelming majority interested in being prayed for, that patients seems to do better if prayed for, and of course there are many stories of patients reporting that prayer made a big difference to them in their recovery and healing.

I have not evaluated the quality of studies regarding the efficacy of prayer. Rigorous data may not be available for a long time to come. But judging from the anecdotal stories and from my own experience, prayer can be a positive force in one's life, and contribute to one's sanity, peace, and hope.

Judging from a perusal of the research literature, nurses and doctors are showing heightened interest in supporting cancer patients' quest for inclusion of spiritual concerns and practices into oncology care. Whether this can be done effectively in a rushed medical setting remains open to question. But there are many prayer networks on behalf on the ill, and many patients utilize prayer in their cancer self-care.

I have been learning how to pray, and my days go better when I do. I tend to just stand at the window looking into the woods, sending thanks and blessings to God and the work of God's hands. Sometimes, when I am troubled, I talk about it, or maybe a rant swells up out of me... I experience these times as healing and balancing, most of the time. My name has also been entered by a friend into a prayer network for which I am grateful. A year ago I participated in a healing service organized in an Episcopalian church to which a friend belongs. It was a warm and loving experience.

I can recommend incorporating prayer into one's healing plan.

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Helpful links

ktf.org/alleluia.htm
we.got.net/~prayer/index.htm
oncolink.upenn.edu/psychosocial/personal/survivors/story3.html
oncolink.upenn.edu/psychosocial/block/rb_chap08.html

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Sanctuary

I want to create a place with graphics on the site where people can put names of people with lymphoma who are in need of special support, and where visitors can spend a moment in prayer. In the meantime, I will use this space for the purpose... since I do have a friend at the moment who needs good energy being sent her way. Please write if you want to put a name here.


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Toby
(recovering from stem cell transplant)
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Created by Vera Bradova © 1998
Updated 8-22-1998
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