Category Archives: General News

Ministry, Health, and Family Update, November 2015

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Noel and Meryl in Orlando, FL

Noel and Meryl at Epcot Center in Orlando, FL

This update is long but we hope you will take time to read it – probably a few paragraphs at a time. The last update was towards the end of August. We will try to update you more often, even though it is difficult to make time to do so during really busy times.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10: 5; New International Version (NIV)

The verse above is one of the foundational verses of the Welcome Home Initiative (WHI). It encourages combat Veterans to see themselves from God’s perspective in a new, hopeful and resilience inspiring way.

More ministry increases budget for FY15/16

Ministry has been busy since we last updated on August 20th. As mine and Meryl’s health has improved this year, opportunities multiplied and we submitted an increased budget to ACCTS for the fiscal year from Oct 1, 2015 to Sep 30, 2016. We are now praying in the extra resources so as not to be limited in the ministry we believe God leads us to do.

Praying and Speaking at Chaplains’ Conference (August)

At the end of August, three days before it started, I was encouraged to receive about 60% of my budget for a Chaplain’s conference at Orlando examining the use of inner healing prayer in combat trauma wounds. These are the often unseen wounds to the soul caused by a Soldier doing something in a situation which offends their personal moral values. Every one of us is susceptible to this sort of wound, as we are to post-trauma injuries which cause us to react in a variety of ways to an unnatural event of life. Soldiers experience PTS in combat-like situations and its effects are more visible than soul/moral wounds.

The training itself was nearly cancelled due to lack of numbers and funds, but several of us encouraged the military bishop of the denomination organising the conference to go ahead as we believed this was the LORD’s will.

I was able to lead the other 9 participants in discussions about moral injury, post-traumatic stress and inner healing prayer techniques.

It was a joy to help an active duty Navy Chaplain find peace in his soul from a traumatic armed robbery he had been the victim of some years ago. When I saw him again last week he said, “I’ve still got peace although I haven’t forgotten about the robbery. I’m able to think about it now without re-experiencing the fear, anger and shame I’ve had for so many years.”

Welcome Home Initiative at Greenwich, NY (September – November)

For much of September and October I beavered away preparing for the Welcome Home Initiative retreat I was to lead in November at the Greenwich, NY Christ the King Spiritual Life Center.

It was an enormous blessing to have the expert help of two ladies, B and M, who administer the busy Healing Center there. They talk in depth to the Veterans seeking to attend the WHI, ensuring the medical, psychological and spiritual needs of those coming are accurately known about. I talk personally to any Veteran that B or M are not certain about.

For this WHI the beautiful, patriotic quilts were lovingly made by local quilters. The prayers shawls given to the spouses were once again made by H, a dedicated local knitter. Both were a huge, sacred blessing to all!

Much of my time was spent preparing the host team; and encouraging them, myself and others interested in WHI to help raise the necessary funds to provide $300 scholarships for every combat Veteran and spouse (if attending) who comes to a WHI retreat. We bless them with free food, accommodation and helpful materials as our way of saying “thank you for serving and welcome home”.

This year many individual, generous donors and at least three churches gave just over $11,000.

We don’t know the final cost of this year’s retreat but are hoping there will be a small amount left over as ‘seed’ money for next year’s retreat.

By the way, the WHI retreats run by Rev. Nigel Mumford and BHW ministry are completely and separately funded to any WHI taking place in NY under the auspices of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, which uses the WHI materials under licence from BHW.

Attended ACCTS Staff Meeting (October)

For a week in mid-October! Meryl and I were very blessed, refreshed and encouraged to attend the annual ACCTS staff meeting at an Officers’ Christian Fellowship retreat Center in south central Pennsylvania, called White Sulphur Springs.

This year’s meeting was the best for several years. There were good daily Bible studies, prayer times and detailed ministry reports from 8 or 9 areas of the world, including some experiencing significant political and social problems.

The long friendships and some new relationships shared by the 55 of us there was very special, especially several of more than 20 year’s duration.

Welcome Home Initiative Retreats in NY and VA (November)

Now it’s November and Thanksgiving is a week away!

Before coming to Boston this week for routine medical checks, all of which went well, we were heavily involved in two back to back WHI retreats. The first was at Greenwich, as already mentioned. The second, under the banner of BHW, took place based on Galilee Church in Virginia Beach, VA. l led the first and Rev. Nigel Mumford the second.

Meryl played a vital role at Greenwich, helping with the spouses ministry as well as overseeing the decoration of the chapel for the closing service. She also organised a beautiful and much prayed over quilt for every first time retreatant. She was on Granny duty at home during the second retreat.

To enable Noel and two other team members being at both retreats meant a 600 mile drive in 10 hours, sharing a car. We started driving an hour after the Greenwich retreat ended. We made it to Va Bch in time to get an adequate night’s sleep before the second retreat started.

Both retreats were extremely blessed and successful.

The Va Bch retreat was the largest yet of the 21 carried out since starting in March 2008. A total of 39 combat Veterans and 10 spouses were ministered to at both retreats.

There was a lot of visible healing and blessing, most often seen by the change in retreatants facial expressions and body posture by the closing service compared to the first lunch.

More often the healing seems to be hidden, or ‘undercover’. Memories are healed, especially through prayer, including inner healing. Veterans telling their story, whichever one the Holy Spirit brings to their mind, are healing moments. Anointing with sacred oil, including of ‘trigger’ fingers, and the pronouncement of forgiveness and absolution brings huge closure from past suffering, breaking the chains of trauma that have been internalised, often silently, for many years.

It is tempting to outline some of the specific areas of trauma experienced by the Veterans at each retreat and to tell some stories, but to do so would break the strict confidentiality we promise those attending. Any Veterans’ comments included in this update have been authorised by them. It is wonderful that Jesus really does heal all those who come to him in faith, even if it is only a little ‘mustard seed’ of faith. One Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran, as he talked about his healing, simply said, “Thank you for this week.” That was and is a sufficient enough comment!

Endorsement as Lay Chaplain Enhances ACCTS Ministry

November 17th, was the second anniversary of me being commissioned by the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JAFC). The JAFC is the military ‘diocese’ of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

It is beyond doubt that this endorsement has strengthened my credibility and the building of trust with Chaplains and Veterans as Meryl and I care for them in our busy ministry as ACCTS staff.

We would love to offer our ears, shoulders and hearts to these folk and their families every month, if it were ever possible to organise retreats in that way. Our ministry principles of listen, love and pray are so much appreciated by those we interact with.

Ministry with Anglican Armed Forces Jurisdiction

As we plan prayerfully for 2016, my role as Prior of the non-monastic ‘out in the world’ Order of St. Martin of Tours (OSMT) will take a higher profile as I pastor the other 9 Lay Chaplains located the length and breadth of the USA. I accomplish this mainly through phone calls and electronic media but in early March I will be helping lead a training academy for existing and new Lay Chaplains near Birmingham, Alabama.

Several other Lay Chaplains minister in Veterans Administration or State Veterans hospitals and other facilities and this is an outstanding blessing to us all.

It is also an honor to remain a member of the Executive Council of the JFAC, responsible for praying and overseeing for the rapidly growing Jurisdiction which has over a hundred Armed Forces and Veterans Administration Chaplains.

Health and Family Update from Meryl

Noel’s health has continued to improve this year after the nasty setback that occurred after our long overseas trip last December and January… and at his last check up this past week in Boston all his blood and other tests were normal.. Praise the Lord… Sadly he still has to be on medication for the GVHD but it seems to be keeping those awful mouth sores at bay and hopefully he will finally be off the steroids by the end of January… we so hope so… His next appointment is January 8th.

I, Meryl, have felt increasingly fitter this year although prone to tiredness. I think that’s just old age more than health related! We have both tried to renew our fitness regime, mostly walking, and try to follow a healthy diet. Both my cardiologist and my PC Doctor are happy with my ‘numbers’, so I guess I’m on the right track..looking after my heart and diabetes.

Family-wise, both son’s and their families are continuing to do well… the grandchildren are of course growing fast and branching out into more after-school activities.. to keep themselves and us busy !!

We are having a delayed Thanksgiving this year. Toby and JoAnn and the girls are attending a cousin’s wedding on Thanksgiving Day so we will celebrate together as a family on Sunday 29th. We have much to be thankful for – the list is endless! For example, this December 20th Noel and I will celebrate 45 years of marriage.!!!

Christmas then approaches fast… and we plan this year to have our day with the family at our house on Boxing Day (26th as it’s a Saturday and no one has to rush back to work). We like to let the children stay home to enjoy Christmas Day and open their Santa presents in their own environment whilst we have a quite day.

We wish you all a Blessed Thanksgiving and a Christmas full of the joy of the Lord …. Also, a Very Happy and Healthy New Year in 2016 to you and all those you love.

Please pray…

We’ll give more detail of planned activities in 2016 in our next update. Meanwhile:

  • Praise for my and Meryl’s improved health during this year.

  • Praise for all that has been accomplished in the ACCTS Chaplains’ and Veterans’ Care Ministry this year in spite of ill health for the first six months.

  • Praise for the growing credibility being a Lay Chaplain endorsed by the JAFC of ACNA.

  • Praise for the pastoral leadership blessings brought to me by being Prior of the Order of St. Martin of Tours (OSMT). Pray for a successful training academy in March 2016, and Jurisdiction annual convocation in April.

  • Pray for wisdom for Noel as a member of the JAFC Executive Council and as he sits on the boards of By His Wounds, Olive Branch International and the Council of SASRA (a Christian formation and growth organisation working with British Army and Royal Air Force Chaplains and service men and women).

  • Pray for the Alpha Course and its derivatives to once again thrive in the military environment. Noel remains a volunteer advisor to Chaplains and lay leaders aspiring to run courses.

  • Pray for Noel and Meryl’s relationships with each of the partnering organisations mentioned above and many others they cooperate with.

  • Pray for advanced plans to start a regularly meeting combat Veterans support group locally in the Glens Falls area. A combat Veteran friend will lead it with my help. We have a place to hold the group. Now we need Veterans, and a schedule.

  • Pray for plans for WHIs in 2016. Pray the two with firm dates (late October at Greenwich; early November at Virginia Beach) will be blessed by abundant registrations and finances.

  • Pray for our aspirations to come to fruition to hold a female combat Veterans retreat; and two or three shorter WHI type of retreats at the Greenwich, NY Spiritual Life Center, or locally elsewhere if they cannot be scheduled there.

  • Pray for things mentioned by Meryl in the rest of this update.

 

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Thank you all so much for your prayers, practical help and financial support. We depend on each of you as we minister with ACCTS in accordance with their ministry model that each staff member raises their own support for their ministry.

Here endeth the update!

Boston and more… August 20th 2015

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“The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad” Psalm 126:3

The summer seems to be going very fast. Time goes quickly the older you get, they say, and this certainly seems true this year. August is over half way through and summer officially ends in 2 weeks, although we hope for lots more sunny days well into the Fall.

2015 Greenwich Relay for Life

We are in Boston today for Noel’s appointments at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (more detail in the next but one paragraph), but a week today, Thursday, August 27th, Noel flies to Orlando, Florida, to take part in a Chaplain’s ministry healing conference organized by the Diocese of Endorsed Chaplains of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches (CEEC). Many armed forces chaplains are gathering to be equipped, motivated and educated how to be “compassionately focused on mending wounded souls.”

Our very close friend, Reverend Nigel Mumford, is one of the key speakers and Noel is going to support him; pray as a member of his team; and to make contact with military Chaplains for future ministry activities. We asked for prayer about Homeland 2015 in our last update on July 23 and since then have received $550 in donations towards the $1200 cost of going. Noel feels so strongly that he is meant to be at this event that he has organized to go even though we don’t know how the rest of the costs are to be covered. This is a faith venture and we really need you, our dear readers, to pray the Lord will bless abundantly enough to cover the costs, as well as provide the other 2/3 balance still being paid for the July ministry activities also described in our July 23rd update. The total need for both faith ventures is $2000. Please bear in mind that the military Christian organization we have been staff members of for the last 21 years, requires it’s staff to raise their own ministry (aka, work) related funds. No money (even donated air miles) comes from any other source other than the “shared vision generosity” of individuals and, very occasionally, church or chapel designated offerings or missionary activity sponsorship. Even the smallest donation helps Chaplains and combat Veterans whose souls are deeply traumatized with the often hidden or concealed wounds of war and the ‘combat’ of life. All donations, especially for US tax exemption, should be made through ACCTS at http://www.accts.org/donate.html. Click on ‘Donate’ or ‘Give’ for full details. Our title is Chaplain Care Ministry.

We also ask you to pray for a successful conference, for much healing of moral injury to occur, for many new ministry relationships to be established and that these will lead to more healing of combat trauma in the future.

Full details about Homeland 2015 can be found at http://byhiswoundsministry.org/event/military-conference-protecting-our-homeland-heart-soul-for-military-chaplains-orlando-fl/.

Meanwhile, back in Boston yesterday, Dr. Soiffer was pleased to see us and happy that Noel has continued to do well since our last visit 6 weeks ago. His blood counts were acceptable and some mouth sores that formed at the end of last week have now disappeared again. The $300 copay each month for the one medication that Noel uses as a mouth wash seems well worth it to hopefully keep these sores caused by the GVHD away. Dr. S decided to lower the Prednisone (steroid) dose again from 10mg to 7.5mg and said in 4 weeks, if he continues to feel OK, to drop down to 5mg. Hopefully this means that by the end of the year Noel will be completely off steroids again. He has now this year been on then for the past 8 months. So that day will be a big Hallelujah day! Meanwhile, we continue to thank God for improvement!

Noel’s next appointments are scheduled in 6 weeks (Oct 2) including blood tests and an annual lung function test (PFT). We are trusting the PFT will be OK as Noel sometimes finds himself breathing more heavily when doing minor physical activity like climbing stairs, let alone the 2.5 minutes of rowing he does as part of his fitness training! He will also see the Oral Doctor at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital again that same day.

Noel’s recent surgery to remove 3 small cancers from his skin went extremely well. All were caught in very early stages and his nose and chin have healed well. The wound on his leg has been more bothersome and is taking longer to heal but it is progressing and hopefully will not need a dressing on it soon.

Family-wise both sets of grandchildren and their parents have enjoyed summer vacations away from home, Charles, Sarah, Eve and William at the seaside in England; and Toby JoAnn, Charlotte and Lucy on a trip north to New Brunswick, Canada, where they visited JoAnn’s relatives and did sightseeing. A great time making memories was had by everyone.

Now the focus is turning towards everyone getting ready for the new school year. Amazingly all 4 grandchildren will now be in full time Elementary School. Yes, time does fly! Lucy is very excited about traveling to school on the big yellow school bus with Charlotte. Next year Charlotte will move to the Intermediate School so they will then travel on different buses until Lucy, at some stage, will join Charlotte on the bus to High School! Eve and William usually ride their bikes or walk to school which is in their local English village neighborhood.

In our next update we will include details of ministry activities we feel the Holy Spirit is guiding us into in the rest of this year and 2016.

Thank you for continuing to walk along side us on our journey, praying and supporting us. Remember we always love to hear your news and prayer needs too. So please stay in contact with us. God Bless You.

[email protected] and [email protected]

Noel’s Health Update – Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 8 p.m.

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Thank you all for your many prayers, thoughts and messages! Meryl and I are so blessed and grateful for your encouragement, support and TLC.

The surgery went well and I was discharged by about 2 p.m., feeling a bit woozy but OK. Slept for a couple of hours this afternoon. My nose and chin are both a bit sore but not bad enough for any medication at the moment. I follow up with the doc in a week (not yet booked).

Apparently both the nose and chin spots were cancerous. The nose was basal and he reckons he got it all without need for a skin graft from my shoulder, so that was good. The chin was squamous and didn’t need a graft either. He thinks the one on my calf was not cancerous at all, more dry skin. Squamous can be more dangerous and faster spreading than basal, but both are potentially life threatening if untreated. As always it is better to get treated earlier rather than later.

The lesions seem to be a function of my light colouring and skin. Clearly, serving in the infantry for nearly 30 years makes me more susceptible to skin cancers. We were often in the sun – as well as much rain and some unforgettable frozen weather! Such is life’s rich pageant! And, apparently, because of the transplant 3 years ago, some of the immuno-suppressant drugs I’ve been on also put me more at risk.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Update

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Relay for Life: I Am Hope

Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Update

I'd be most grateful for all your prayers and thoughts tomorrow, Thursday, and the few days after. I report to hospital at 10 a.m. for minor surgery to remove three basal cell lesions on my nose, chin and left calf. This will be a conscious sedation procedure and should take only a short time. I'm told it takes most of the rest of the day for the sedation effects to wear off. Meryl has to come with me to drive me home and be with me for the 24 hours afterwards.

Pray the wounds will heal quickly and well, especially the "nose job", cosmetically (although I'm not a vain person I do want to look presentable!). More importantly, pray the surgeon will get all the cancer cells out!

I know many people have this sort of procedure but I'm not looking forward to the day; and I don't like pain either! My platelet count, although much better, is still low and means that any bleeding takes longer to clot than it used to.

Otherwise, I continue to feel better than I have for more than 6 months as my immune system strengthens, the GVHD goes away, and the dosage of Prednisone gets reduced again next Tuesday.

Thank God for the excellent ministry trip we just came back from.

The Anglican Chaplains Convocation was very enjoyable, solidifying relationships with many armed forces Chaplains as well as those ministering in Veterans and other hospitals, hospices and correctional institutions (prisons in UK parlance).

The Welcome Home Initiative retreat was a huge healing blessing for everyone who came.

At least one marriage seemed to be significantly and positively improved (the couple decided to renew their vows soon).

I felt that the "coming alongside" ministry I exercise seemed to be well received as I (with several others similarly "called") listened to stories of deep trauma, showed compassion to those suffering and prayed deeply for them to be set free from the memories and experiences that haunt them, that often cause Soldiers to feel like they are tied up with barbed wire.

Meryl played a crucial part as she helped minister to the five young wives who came. Her experiences as an Army wife for 23 years including several years of dealing with combat and other operational deployments, proved invaluable to several women present.

Please also pray for the Godly provision of $1,200 -$1,500 to enable me to attend and minister alongside Rev. Nigel Mumford at a healing conference for military Chaplains from August 27-29 at Orlando, FL. Nigel is the main speaker and leads the very small healing ministry team, of which I feel called to be a part of. He very much wants me there.

Thank you so much!

Latest news from Boston and more…

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Great is thy faithfulness, new every morning new mercies we see…are the words from our special hymn, sung at our wedding… we are so grateful for all the Lord has done for us.

Since our last visit to Boston a month ago… there has been a dramatic improvement in Noel’s GVHD symptoms. Actually a mystery to the Doctors as to why, very suddenly just about two weeks ago, the sores in Noel’s mouth disappeared and no new ones have developed. We are of course putting it down to the power of prayer and the Lord’s timing.

Doctor Treister is mystified but happy and has told Noel to slowly reduce the frequency of the special mouth wash over the next few weeks to down to once a day. Unless there are any adverse changes Noel will see him again in 3 months. When we mentioned to Dr. T about our belief in the efficacy of prayer he put his hand on Noel’s shoulder and said, “maybe someone reached down and put his hand in your mouth and took the sores and GVHD away!”

Amy, Dr Soiffer’s NP, was equally pleased to see Noel’s mouth looking so very much better. She and Dr S feel that Noel should stay on the 15 mg of prednisone (steroid) for another three weeks before further reducing to 10 mg if all continues to go well. Noel’s next appointment was lengthened to 6 weeks so this is another huge improvement. Next appointment is Wednesday,19th August.

So please keep praying his mouth stays GVHD free; that his swollen feet and ankles continue to reduce – they are still preventing him wearing normal shoes; that the swelling around his face, cheeks and jowls reduce; and that he gains more energy and stays well. Amy gave him the go ahead to travel over the next two weeks but said she wanted him to wear a face mask on the airplane flights. Even though his blood counts are good his immune system is still fragile. His platelets have gone above 100 for the first time in more than 6 months.

So on Thursday we fly to Dayton, Ohio for the Anglican Armed Forces Jurisdiction (aka Diocese) annual training, sustainment and fellowship meeting adjacent to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Noel will listen to, show love to and pray for many military Chaplains he knows and also help lead the sessions for Commissioned Lay Chaplains in his capacity as Prior of the Order of St. Martin of Tours, a relatively recently formed and growing community of Lay Chaplains ministering in secular places of work such as VA and other hospitals, hospices, prisons and correctional institutions, as well as pastoral care roles in churches, and for Noel, ministering in the military environment to Chaplains and Veterans.

On Monday, 13 July we fly on to Florida where for a couple of days we will pay short visits to 2 sets of friends in the Orlando/Kissimmee area. We first met both sets over 20 years ago when we all lived in Virginia Beach. From Thursday, July 16-18 we will help lead a Welcome Home Initiative Retreat for at least 10 combat Veterans and 7 spouses at West Palm Beach. We return home on Sunday, 19 July, back to our busy home life and school vacation day care for the girls.

Because ministry is busy this month, let alone into the future, we are writing a second, separate, update this month. Please read it and pray what role you might have in helping to further our ministry vision and activities to the end of this year. We fully believe we have been called to the Chaplain and Veterans ministry by the Lord and that the plans we have are directly from our Father in heaven as we listen to Him and respond to His leading.

So thank you again for following our journey and praying for us. God Bless you all!

Noel’s 3rd Re-birthday. Happy Birthday!

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Noel’s 3rd re-birthday… Thursday, June 11th.

2015 Greenwich Relay for Life

Noel, Meryl, and Charlotte
2015 Greenwich Relay for Life

It was a Monday back in 2012 and was the day Noel received the donor cells as the stem cell transplant. On June 12th, we participated RELAY for LIFE! And this evening, our health updates… from Boston and Glens Falls.

This day 3 years ago Noel was in the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, having undergone intensive chemotherapy to kill his immune system and make his body ready to receive the donor stem cells. These cells would then make their way to his own none functioning bone marrow and take up residence as his new bone marrow and start to manufacture all his blood. The transplant was and is the only possible chance of giving Noel more years to live. The donor cells are still doing a great job, have cured the cancer and are keeping his blood count levels within a normal range. As we thank God for this wonderful blessing of life, we are also incredibly thankful for the amazing gift of life-giving cells from his then unknown, unrelated donor, Ryan. And we are so grateful to have met Ryan and his wife last Fall, much enjoying the evening we had together. As Noel received the cells through the port he had in his chest we asked, “how do these cells know where and how to get to the large bones where the blood is made?” Noel’s eminent oncologist, the head of the stem cell transplant team at Dana-Farber, replied, “we don’t know. We simply don’t have a clue!” So, to us another part of the miracle was that God created the
capability from the beginning for theses cells to ‘know’ exactly where they must go to!

However, those donated cells sometimes really do think they are ‘boss’ and occasionally just try to take over control and reject Noel! This manifests itself as the Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) that we often talk about. This has been a long and somewhat difficult year for Noel after catching a nasty respiratory virus back in January, which was the cause of this latest bout of GVHD but at yesterday’s visit to Dr Soiffer at the Dana-Farber things looked brighter as he reduced the dose of steroids by another 5mg…. down to 15mg. Noel was on 40mg each day last January. So hopefully the side effects of weaning off the Prednisone will begin to improve and be less bothersome. The GVHD is still producing mouth sores and the clinical trial Noel has been in for the last month ended yesterday. Testing a medication as a mouth wash seemed to make little significant difference to the sores… so he will now go back to using the mouthwash he was using before. Dr Treister, the oral care doctor, was grateful for Noel’s participation in the trial and will continue to work with Noel to try and find something to help with the sores. The sores are better than they were and are mostly bearable. Although GVHD is very unpredictable, Noel is a lot better than he was 6 months ago..but we know another extreme flare up could happen again. But we pray not. His fatigue comes and goes… but he perseveres on… Next appointments with both doctors are scheduled for one months time.

I had a funny episode myself last week , with terrible chest pains. Although different to when I had the heart attack just 12 months ago. Noel took me to the ER to get checked out. This ended up with a 30 hour stay in the hospital… And lots of tests. Nothing of any
significance showed up. The pain subsided and it remains a mystery… but I have appointments to follow up with my Cardio and PC doctors and a lung doctor… I guess it is best to get everything checked. But I feel OK now…

2015 Greenwich Relay for LifeLast Friday was our now yearly family event RELAY for LIFE… at Greenwich NY… It’s our 6th. We would like to thank everyone who have supported our efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society… your donations to Charlotte’s Relay Fund will make a difference. Overall it seems that fundraising for the Relay this year has been down…we also found this. But we will continue to try to pay it forward to the American Cancer Society… because we have benefited so much in being able to stay overnight at the excellent ACS owned and run accommodation in Boston almost every time we have needed to be there for Noel’s appointments over the last 3 years. Although Hope Lodge is responsible for raising it’s own operating costs (more than $1M a year), so direct donations are welcomed, there is no charge to stay there (Relay for Life donations go to the wider work of ACS). With this blessing, we have ‘saved’ thousands of dollars that otherwise we would have found it extremely difficult to pay for hotel rooms at the same time as buying some expensive medications even though Noel’s health insurance policy is a very cost-effective one. One day I will sit down and work the ‘savings’ out!

So a big thank you for supporting us and others by supporting the American Cancer Society. You can still donate by visiting Charlotte’s page… Which remains open for the next few days.

Noel adds, ministry over the last month has become rather busier than earlier in the year, as Spring turned to summer. I have been able to listen to, encourage, pray with and have good one-to-one fellowship with the ten or so Chaplains and combat Veterans I count among my friends. I know the Lord blesses me throughout these relationships and, I pray, they also bless my friends. The main ministry event was the annual Convention of the Diocese of Albany. Held at a purpose-built summer vacation camp about 60 miles from home. Meryl and I, with three others, twice presented a workshop informing those attending about the Welcome Home Initiative. It was successful even though attendance was light. Those who came were clearly in the ‘right’ place and we pray they will either come to a retreat on their own or, better still, with a buddy; help finance a scholarship ($300); feel called to help WHI in some other way; and pass the information on to others. The weekend was blessed with sunny weather, many friends whom we had not seen for a while, wonderfully uplifting worship services, especially the Eucharists, and excellent faith deepening and uplifting preaching by the keynote speaker, former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey. My testimony of healing, given at Saturday evening’s service of healing, was well received and I was able to pray for and encourage several people who were challenged by differing moral, soul injuries due to combat and other military related traumas. Additionally, as a Lay Chaplain and Prior of the Order of St. Martin of Tours, I have been involved in planning for the annual convocation of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy Jurisdiction (aka Diocese) of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). This included the regular monthly video-telephone conference call to keep in touch with our other Lay Chaplains. Please pray that the fruit of these successful activities will bless us at the convocation from July 9-12 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Please also pray for us as we take part in a Welcome Home Initiative at a church in West Palm Beach, Florida from July 16-18, led by our good friend, Rev. Nigel Mumford.

Meryl again, thank you for all your prayers, we know your prayers are being answered, please continue to stay in touch with us, we love hearing your news as well as writing about our own. Both our sons and their families are doing well, no family reunion is planned for this summer but both families have busy summers ahead of them, so please continue to pray for us all.

God bless you and your families as the vacation season gets into full swing.

Mid Clinical Trial and Up Coming Relay for Life

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Now mid way through the clinical trial… Noel is finding some relief to the sores in his mouth, that is to the ones he already had, which is good but more sores are now appearing which is not so good… The new mouth wash is working but having little effect on the cause of the sores the GVHD which I guess is to be expected as this is to do with the donor cells attacking him… Generally he is about the same… legs still swollen and energy levels low… although he is trying to walk a little at the YMCA… we need to get in practice for the Relay for Life now only 2 weeks away… when we will be walking in both the SURVIVORS laps and the CAREGIVER lap… since we are both survivors and caregivers!!! And of course we will be joined by Charlotte who is a survivor and if not exactly a caregiver she is a great encourager with her smiles and hugs.and zest for life…

Meryl, Charlotte and Noel

Survivors: This photo is us last year in 2014. This year in 2015 will be our 5th Relay.

People ‘Relay’ for many reasons… because they had cancer, I did, now over 6 years cancer free! Because they have a friend with cancer, I have many, some are fighting, some are cancer free and some sadly have lost the battle. Some ‘Relay’ because they have relatives who have been told ‘you have cancer’ I do, my granddaughter… now a survivor, my husband, now a survivor and my brother who is in maintenance treatments right now as a survivor…

Some ‘Relay’ because they want to see more research in to a cure for all cancers, well we all want that! But the main reason The Dawes Family ‘Relay’ is to support the American Cancer Society in they support of those who need accommodation when their treatment center is far from home… the ACS have wonderful places called the ‘HOPE LODGE’ in many town across the USA. When Noel was told his cancer would needed to be treated at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston MA., 100’s of miles away from our home in Glens Falls, NY and he would require to be in Boston for an extended time of almost a month and then for regular appointments… every week for 6 months. Eventually getting spread further apart. Now almost 3 years since his Stem Cell Transplant they are every month… we spend 2 nights in Boston for each visit… this has added up to 100’s of nights… imagine what our hotel costs would have been… and how difficult it would be to afford, hotels in Boston are expensive… nights at the ‘HOPE LODGE’ are ‘free’ but we all know nothing is free… the ACS need funds to provide this service to cancer patients and their caregivers… So this is why The Dawes Family ‘Relay’ to raise funds so others, can like us, receive this blessing of a safe, clean and comfortable place to stay when needed… will you help us ‘pay it forward’? A donation small or large will help… but without you we can not do this… thank you!!

We have pooled our fund raising efforts to just one fund as we did last year… Charlotte’s RELAY page, where last year with your help she raised over $3,000 for the American Cancer Society… We are now 2 weeks away from our RELAY FOR LIFE and have yet to raise even a 10th of that… Will you please consider making a small ( or large! ) donation… and help us all PAY IT FORWARD… thank you! Please visit Charlotte’s page today http://main.acsevents.org/goto/charlotte-emma

Updates and News of Clinical Trial

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We have this anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Hebrews 6:19 NIV

Last week on Wednesday, we were back in Boston for Noel’s appointments at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The three weeks since Noel’s last appointment, when Dr. Soiffer lowered his prednisone dose, has been difficult. Noel has experienced great fatigue, very swollen feet and legs and loss of muscle strength in his legs. All seemingly side effects of lowering the dose. But on the other hand, we thank the Lord that Noel’s blood work was all within the normal ranges. We hope that any future further reduction of the prednisone with not make the side effects any worse – we are praying it actually eases them. Since needing to take the high dose when he was so poorly in January, it now seems crazy that the treatment to relieve the horrible GVHD flareup back then, now 5 months later, has caused him to have these difficult side effects. Please keep praying.

The mouth sores caused by the GVHD (Graft Versus Host Disease) have continued to be bothersome but have slowly improved, for which we thank God. As we expected Dr. Treister, head of the oral department at B&W, suggested Noel join a Clinical Trial that he and his research team are running. The trial is researching into new treatments for oral GVHD, since there is nothing as yet that has proved greatly beneficial. So after it was discussed, Noel decided to join the trial. It involves using a solution of a drug that Noel took orally for over a year after the transplant to help prevent the rejection of the donated stem cells… Dr. Treister is hopeful that patients will find relief by using a solution of the drug as a mouth wash. So, every day for a month I mix the solutions together, then Noel uses it 4 times a day, keeping it in his mouth for 5 mins. One could have hoped the drug would be provided by the trial but it seems this is not possible, so Noel’s co pay was $270. But worth it if it helps… We pray it will, not only for Noel but for others who suffer from this extremely painful side effect of a stem cell transplant.

This means that our next visit to Boston for Noel to see Dr. Soiffer at the Dana Farber and Dr Treister at the Brigham and Women’s will be on June 10th. Then we have made appointments for a month after that, on Monday July 6th. We have had to make the appointment for that Monday as later in the week we are going to the annual Convocation of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincies Jurisdiction (aka Diocese) of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). Noel, as an ACCTS staff member working with military Chaplains and Veterans, ministers as a commissioned lay Chaplain under their endorsement. It takes place at Dayton, OH from June 9-12 and is followed immediately by a Welcome Home Initiative retreat at West Palm Beach, FL (June 16-18) being led by Rev. Nigel Mumford. We pray for a good number of Veterans to come and find peace and healing for their combat stress and trauma. We plan to return home soon after the retreat ends.

Meanwhile, and not withstanding his health, Noel has been able to meet three Veterans individually, continuing relationships of friendship, acceptance and growing healing from their soul, moral and physical injury. Every time they meet the Holy Spirit does something good in each of their lives. Noel has continued to be involved in a small committee examining how best to finance and build grass roots contacts with needy combat Veterans to strengthen and improve future Welcome Initiative retreats at the Diocese of Albany’s Spiritual Life Center at Greenwich, NY. Please also pray for that the 45 minute presentation about WHI and the associated display table at the Diocesan Convention on the weekend of June 5-7th will be highly successful in developing and building successful WHIs.

Our families on both sides of the Atlantic continue to lead full and busy lives. All the grandchildren are doing well in school and preschool. It is hard to believe that there are only a few weeks left of this school year. And in September, Charlotte and Evelyn will be 3rd graders, William will be in first grade and Lucy will be in Kindergarten.

IMG_9985One coming event for our family is our annual participation in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life at Greenwich, NY. As many of you know, we are a small family but one that seems to have it’s share of cancer. There is no history of inherited cancer in our forbears. However, I became a cancer survivor in 2008. Our first grandchild, Charlotte at the young age of 18 months, was diagnosed with a very rare but aggressive cancer of the liver, Hepatoblastoma. After surgery and chemotherapy, she became a survivor in 2009. Noel was diagnosed with a rare cancer of the bone marrow in 2011 and had a life saving stem cell transplant, with cells from an unrelated donor in June 2012, three years ago. So we are the Dawes Survivor Trio – the DST!

Our hope every year is to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. This will be our 5th Relay. The ACS do amazing work funding research and supporting cancer patients and their families. We, ourselves, have been hugely grateful recipients of this support. We have been blessed with accommodation in Boston at their Hope Lodge on many, many occasions at no cost to us (they do welcome donations, of course) saving us what should have added up to thousands of dollars in hotel costs over the past 3 years. So we are asking you to help us pay it forward for the sake of others as we raise money for them through the Relay for Life. Our main hope is to have donations made to Charlotte’s Relay page, so please will you consider making a donation. Last year $3,000 her padre raised made a difference. What difference can be made this year? Thank you for your support.

This is the link to her page… http://main.acsevents.org/goto/charlotte-emma

If you prefer not to donate on line you can send a check to me, made out to The American Cancer Society/Relay for Life. I will see it reaches Charlotte’s page. Oh, by the way, our address is 22 Davis Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801.

Thank you for keeping on keeping on with us as we continue this journey with it’s ups and downs…we are so grateful for all your prayers, love and support. We thank The Lord daily for your faithfulness. Please keep in touch with us. We love hearing your news
too.

End of April update from Glens a Falls and Boston

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Those who put their hope in The Lord will renew their strength, They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
— Isaiah 40:31 NIV

Noel on his recent Birthday enjoying his cake...

Noel on his recent Birthday enjoying his cake…

Last weeks visit to Boston saw us blessed again with accommodation at the Hope Lodge…even though somehow I had not made the booking for the correct date, the first mistake I have made in almost 3 years of making many booking. But Praise the Lord on arrival a room was found for us both nights..on Tuesday we were in room 413 and on Wednesday in room 314… I have now double checked that I have made the booking next time for the correct dates !!!

Noel, has over the past month, has not really seen any improvement in how he feels and has caught yet another head/chest cold/cough and his mouth continues to be very bothersome. Dr Soiffer is now weaning Noel slowly off the high Prednisone (steroid) dose he is on, that has caused him to feel very low and has done nothing to strengthen his immune system and left him with what he describes as a puffy face, bulging belly and swollen ankles, with a lack of energy and a general slowing down and loss of strength. So we hope as the dose reduces he will feel much better. Dr S has also put him back on the antiviral medicine, Acyclovir, to see if any of his symptoms are actually being caused by a virus along with what we know is caused by the GVHD. Dr S has recommended that Dr Treister at the Brigham and Women’s Oral Medicine Department start Noel in a clinical trial for treatment for the GVHD in his mouth. So we will see what Dr T says at the appointment with him on May 14th. If you have ever wondered what oral graft verses host disease is all about this is a very good article.

We are also very grateful for the suggestions of how to treat Noel’s symptoms from many people, because we know you care and are concerned but we hope that none of you are offended because we don’t try your well meaning ideas…we made a decision way back when Noel was diagnosed that we would only follow the doctors instructions and do nothing not sanctioned by them.

We try to live a normal life…around all the medical stuff. The girls, Charlotte and Lucy, help keep us focused and busy…and life seems very full. Funny how as you get older, time seems to go much faster, along with things taking longer to do!

So it’s back to Boston on the 13th of May for appointments at both the Dana Farber and the Brigham and Women’s on the 14th. We’ll do another update after that visit.

Meanwhile, in ministry, Noel was able to attend video-conferences for the management and direction Boards of both By His Wounds ministry and Olive Branch International. Both have significant Christian spiritual impact: BHW for individuals to be healed in soul, mind and body in the USA, and OBI working with seriously traumatized Ukrainian Soldiers and their families, both at the front and when they come back home. At the front, some of our Ukrainian friends act as Chaplains (OBI Ukraine has led their training courses) even though there is no official military Chaplaincy. They take food and other humanitarian supplies as well as, most importantly, pray for folk. We would love to give our colleagues there more support, if anyone feels called to help. In Sierra Leone, we train and support several Hospital Chaplains who continue to spiritually sustain families in contact with ongoing Ebola.

Also, Noel re-started a successful monthly Lay Chaplains video call for the Anglican Armed Forces and Chaplaincy Jurisdiction; as well as taking a leading part in a sub-committee praying, planning and implementing ideas to improve the fund raising and marketing aspects of the Welcome Home Initiative retreats being held at the Greenwich, NY Spiritual Life Center (licensed by BHW). We are praying for the Lord to provide 50 scholarships of $300 each for this year’s retreat (November 9-11) so Veterans can be blessed with their food and accommodation when they come. If you feel called to help, please contact Noel.

Thank you for your love and support as we continue on this journey… Please continue to pray for us and keep in contact with us. We are interested in your news too. God Bless you!

Happy Easter!

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Happy Easter to you all and more news from us!

This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118.24).

Last Wednesday saw us back in Boston for Noel’s appointment at the Dana-Farber. In the last 3 weeks there has not been any improvement in how he feels. His mouth is still very sore and the shots he got in his mouth last time, sadly, made no difference. His digestive system still troubles him and he is on less than top form. He is not sleeping well either and also gets leg cramps. All this is from the GVHD (Graft Versus Host Disease).

One good thing is that his blood tests now show his liver functions are good and his platelets are in the normal range as are his other blood levels, so his new bone marrow is doing it’s job very well. But the GVHD, where the donors cells don’t much like Noel is the main problem. So it was decided to put Noel’s steroid dose back up to 30 mg a day.

As we have said before long term steroid use is not recommended as it brings problems and other unwanted health issues with it. If Noel continues to show no real improvement other options will have to be considered, like, maybe, entering a clinical trial for the research they are doing on new drugs for GVHD. It is a somewhat mysterious illness, not yet fully understood and with no clear cut effective treatment. We will have to wait and see.

Noel has also been prescribed a drug he had come off last year. Bactrim is an antibiotic designed to prevent a certain strain of pneumonia that can be very dangerous in stem cell transplants. He is also taking the prescription meds for his digestion again as the over the counter ones not having helped much. But we stay hopeful that this is just a valley in the journey and it too will pass.

In 3 weeks, on Wednesday April 22nd. Noel has an appointment with Dr. Soiffer; and with Dr. Treister, the mouth doctor, 3 weeks later (May 13). Thankfully we already have a room booked at the Hope Lodge for each visit. We were blessed by the Lord this past week as a room became available just before we needed it. We had been on the wait list. We were so thankful to have this refuge as neither of us felt well on the drive to Boston – in fact Noel was quite sick with a fairly short lived but debilitating stomach bug, which was probably made worse by his low immune system.

Spring is now here. Winter was long and cold but our snow has gone in the past week. The grass is looking a bit greener every day and very soon we will be seeing new buds everywhere. We wonder how many of our bushes and young trees will have survived the cold.

Easter is always a wonderful time to rejoice and give thanks for everything the Lord has given us and provides for us. We will celebrate with our family here in Glens Falls with a roast lamb dinner cooked by Granny! We will also be celebrating three birthdays: mine; our daughter in law, JoAnn’s; and Noel’s which all fall in the next 2 weeks.

Noel’s ministry activities have been somewhat less these past 3 weeks, although he was able to complete an intensive personal spiritual retreat called Cursillo. Although he was just getting over a bad cold and cough, he enjoyed the retreat and felt benefit from it. He also took part in several online video conference and other phone calls as a board member of Rev. Nigel Mumford’s healing ministry, By His Wounds (www.byhiswoundsministry.org) (BHW) and the Special Jurisdiction for the Armed Forces and Chaplaincies of the Anglican Church in North America (SJAFC/ACNA) (www.anglicanchaplains.org) in which, as a Commissioned Lay Chaplain, he is a member of the Executive Council and also Prior of the Order of St. Martin of Tours. Sadly, the Welcome Home Initiative retreats for female combat Veterans which should have taken place 2 weeks ago was cancelled due to Noel’s and another staff member’s illnesses and lack of registrations. In his capacity with ACCTS (www.accts.org) he has been in Facebook contact with a Croatian Veteran (Bosnian War) who wants help to bring relief to many of his “buddies” suffering from combat trauma.

We thank you all for your continued support in different ways and your prayers… As we continue on this journey… Please continue to keep in contact with us even if we are slow to respond to emails and messages… God Bless you.