My Dad did not ultimately need a stem cell transplant from a donor.  Sometime in April 2004, the doctor who had been treating him left the hospital to set up his private practice.  His new doctor, William Hwang, advised that while transplant from a donor was ideal (the higher risk of complications notwithstanding), using my Dad’s own cells was not a non-viable alternative (we had been led to believe that it was non-viable previously).  He did caution though that medically no patient has been completely cured using his own stem cells (we’ll pray for a complete recovery nonetheless). 

My Dad opted to use his own cells.  The entire procedure took place quite smoothly and my Dad was discharged after spending about 20 days in hospital.  His red and white blood cells are multiplying and moving up into the normal range, indicating that my Dad is recovering quite well.

I wish that I could say that my Dad, like some others, had been miraculously cured of cancer without the need for medical treatment.  So was God at work in my Dad’s life ?

I think so.  In the fact that my Dad continued to trust in God despite the many disappointments.  In the fact that my Dad lived despite an infection that nearly killed him.  In the fact that when my Dad needed a stem cell donor a perfect match from among his relatives was found.  In the fact that when the relative whose cells were a perfect match refused to donate another perfect match was found from the remaining relative who had not gone for a cell test earlier because he worked overseas.  In the fact that my Dad did not finally require stem cells from a donor, but used his own.  In the fact that when it seemed the doctor could not harvest sufficient stem cells from my Dad for the transplant (after days of trying), 70% of the stem cells my Dad needed were produced on the last day of harvesting.  In the fact that the transplanted stem cells engrafted and start growing normally, despite the possibility that they might not.

I believe that God was and is at work in my Dad’s life.  I see the miraculous even in what appears to be conventional therapy, because it is God’s power that enables even “natural” healing to take place.

That is why sometimes people die despite treatment.  But today my father lives.