“In December 2023, I was diagnosed with stage III cancer,” says Public Health Doctor Miguel Bernui. “I can’t say that I’m not afraid, because I’m a human being. There is fear and expectation about what we will have to face in the coming months,” he adds.
Cancer is a word that no one wants to hear when receiving the final results of a medical test. Sadly, according to the World Health Organization, the burden of cancer disease continues to increase worldwide. Furthermore, it estimates that today, approximately 1 in 5 people will develop cancer during their lifetime.
Attitude, Faith, and Hope
After a careful medical evaluation, Dr. Bernui prepared to face 12 scheduled chemotherapy sessions. “When I received the news, I clung to God and did not allow fear to bring me down,” he says.
Eight months have passed since his first chemotherapy. Since then, three key words have become part of his life: Attitude, to get up every morning and enjoy a new day with the desire to move forward; Faith, to trust in God in the darkest moments; and Hope, that all this will pass.
Hope that Heals
In the midst of pain and uncertainty, these words resonated loudly in his mind, he states. He thought of the people who, like him, also face this difficult path, and how suffering affects not only them, but also their loved ones.
In addition to cancer, other diseases profoundly impact many families. Therefore, the "Hope that Heals" program was created to inspire and encourage others.
Sharing Hope
The program premiered on Friday, October 11, 2024, on Radio Nuevo Tiempo Perú nationwide. Radio Nuevo Tiempo is a Spanish Adventist television and radio channel in South America. This is the only radio program in the country, hosted by a cancer patient, dedicated exclusively to patients with terminal illnesses and their families.
"I have touched suffering, I have felt pain and I have also been strengthened. I want us to pray together, to strengthen ourselves, and to take refuge in a single hope," says Dr. Bernui.
This program responds to one of Dr. Bernui's personal dreams in this challenging process of his life. "I hope that the program will be a blessing in this process and that we will use the key that helped me in this battle," he says.
Another of her goals is the publication of her book “Station 11,” where he narrates her experiences facing chemotherapy and holds a cancer prevention symposium with testimonies from those who overcame this disease.
The original article was published on the South American Division Spanish website.
