Kate McRae Update

I've been praying for this little girl and her family for about a year now. You may have noticed a link via this sweet face in my sidebar. She was diagnosed with brain cancer about 13 months ago and has been bravely fighting ever since. Her family has shared about their emotional journey along the way and how God has been present for every step.

This is what her parents shared last night, after the results of her PET scan:

Today has been full of nervous energy as we found out early this morning that most likely we would not hear the PET results until Monday. I kept starting projects and then would find myself unable to finish them, leaving small messes everywhere. I then decided to organize and rearrange the girls room, only to get all of the stuff out and decide to stop. So Liv and I left the house for a little bit. I needed to escape my newly made messes.

For 13 months we have fought, prayed and asked God alongside many of you to wipe this cancer from Kate's body. For 13 months we have watched Kate change before our eyes, her beautiful hair falling out in clumps, her eyelashes slowly disappearing. The healthy tan turning into a dull, pale white. The sparkle in her eye quickly replaced by an at times vacant stare. Brain cancer threatened to take so much. The greatest of these being our precious daughter. Our Kate who brought life to our family, a sass to everyday activities and snuggles to quiet night talks. 13 months ago one scan changed our life forever.

And tonight 13 months later, one scan again changed our lives. The results were in. I answered the phone, held my breathe and silently pleaded with God. I then clearly heard the word "negative". Negative!! The tears came fast and furious. God was giving us more time. More time with our daughter. Even the words "cautiously optimistic" didn't dampen our excitement. Had we found out defintively that the cancer was still there, medically the hope of beating it would have been overwhelmingly slim. And we also knew that negative meant "nothing they could currently detect". And we knew cautious would always be a word equated with this horrific cancer. But tonight we heard the words for 13 months we have so desperately longed to hear, "negative". The mass that remains was negative for cancerous activity. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. And thank you for being so faithful to pray alongside us.

We will update more as we speak with Kate's neuro oncologist. The journey remains far from over. And yet, tonight we heard an answer to all of our prayers.

You can read Kate's story here. I can't imagine the nightmare the McRae's have been living. But today, they have hope. And happy tears. And rest.  
And that's praiseworthy!