From Therese:
My dear husband, Dr. Chuck Thurston, who has healed so many, now needs your help to be healed from systemic lymphoma.
We all know Chuck's enormous heart. For nearly half a century, he has saved thousands of lives as a board certified ER doctor. Most recently, he has worked as a COVID ICU doctor and also treated hundreds of patients all over the country by phone during the pandemic. He's brought life to so many, even as he prayed for God's wisdom.
Chuck has always had incredible, even divine, insight into how to diagnose and bring health to his patients -- all while being that "country doctor" who goes out of his way to visit patients in their homes or even driving to other states to help -- often not charging for his service or simply asking for a donation to our ministry. The quintessential patient advocate, Chuck has fought for patients, making sure they get the treatment they need.
Now the doctor is the patient. And it's very serious. We need a miracle. He has lymphoma, specifically PTCL (Peripheral T-cell lymphoma). It is an aggressive disease in which the patient’s T cells become cancerous. (See photo of large lesion on his forearm.) Richter syndrome is also in the diagnosis. Very alarming. See: Richter syndrome
Chuck's health has deteriorated rapidly. He has extreme pain, increasing weakness and confusion. The man with boundless energy -- who could work a 72 hour shift in the ER and come home and work on our farm for 12 hours -- now can barely walk. He's been in the care of The James Cancer Center at Ohio State as an outpatient. But just this week, his health plummeted. We had to take him to the ER at OSU, where he's now a patient. They continue to run multiple tests.
We've also looked into other, very successful, treatment options that we will be pursuing as well.
All of these treatments are quite expensive and, obviously, Chuck can't work to provide an income. This has put a strain on us.
The monoclonal antibody drug his hematologist says he needs for this particular form of lymphoma -- brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) -- costs $30,000 for one dose. But the doc won't prescribe it because of the cost.
So... to our dear friends and family, we're asking for your help. This is not easy for me to do. Chuck and I have dedicated our lives to pouring ourselves out for others. So this is very humbling to be on the receiving end.
Your gifts, through GiveSendGo, will go to our ministry, Evidences Biblical Institute. These funds will be used for Chuck's medical expenses and to help with other living expenses as we fight for his complete healing.
We also ask that you join with us to pray for Chuck's total restoration. The medical world and so many hurting patients need his incredible knowledge and skill as a doctor. But we also want to continue to share the amazing spiritual insights God shows him about the body, medicine and the physical world.
We love you so much and so appreciate the incredible blessing of knowing you as a friend and part of our family. I say, (on behalf of Chuck), with tears and a heart overflowing: "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all..." Romans 1:8.
We can't thank you enough for your prayers, love and generosity.
Much love and the Lord's blessing,
Therese
P.S. I'll be sharing Chuck's progress through Updates... so please check back. Also, if God leads you... you can add special Prayer Requests. I'll definitely read these to Chuck.
