Episode 17 - In sickness and in health . . .

Jared McKinney and his wife, Kaitlyn, had just moved to a new city to plant a church. They were just finishing up the maintenance chemotherapy from his first diagnosis, received May 2019. They were ready to begin anew when they were given the news -- relapse.

In December of 2020 Jared was told his T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia had been detected in a routine test of his spinal fluid. This time as they traveled to Seattle for treatment it would mean a stem cell transplant.

In Fall of 2020 Don hosted Luke and his wife, Carly, on Episode 17 of the Time Machine Podcast. Little did both men know then that their transplants would happen just five days apart in different cities. Don had a chance to visit with Luke again as both of them neared the coveted Day +100 post transplant. Luke shares about his journey through the thick of chemo and radiation and the long journey of recovery after transplant; and how his faith was strengthened through the process.

The world of transplant is ever-changing. Just four days after this podcast was recorded Luke and Carly received news that altered their course and will mean more treatments and more months in Denver. Their faith and courage remain unwavering.

Nathan Green, also known as Nate The Great, was first diagnosed with  Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in 2011 at age 17. He was a junior in high school and battled for two and a half years before completing chemotherapy. 

This podcast was recorded in August 2019. Nate shares about life after receiving a cancer diagnosis and the journey that doesn't end when you hear the words "cancer free." He talks about walking through the journey as a young adult, dealing with the long term effects of chemo on the body, and his dreams for the future.

>> Nate is once again in the fight. On October 20, 2020, just over a year after this podcast was recorded, Nate heard what no leukemia survivor wants to hear, “the leukemia is back."

On October 18, 2020, Don sat on the other side of the table as the guest on Time Machine Podcast. His brother-in-law, Rob Charette, talked with Don about the conversations had with his children and his wife -- conversations of hope, of truth, and of life.

Don and his wife, Casidee, left their home on November 4, 2020, for their journey to Seattle where Don will receive an allogenic stem cell transplant. It is the next step on their own cancer journey.

**we had a mic failure while recording this episode -- the sound was captured from a webcam in the room**

Pastor Ron Palmer shares this story of how cancer has impacted his family not once, or twice, but three times. And how, through it all, his faith has brought him to the point where he is able to say, "It's just cancer."

Luke and Carly Anderson were married on September 1, 2018. When they recited their vows they had no way of knowing how soon in their marriage "in sickness and in health" would come into play. On June 1st of this year Luke was diagnosed with aggressive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and was life-flighted to Denver to begin his treatment. 

Their story is full of hope, peace, and joy in the midst of intense treatment and an unknown future.

We're excited to release this episode the day after they celebrated two years of marriage.

When a vibrant 2-year-old girl goes to see the doctor for a fever the last thing any parent expects to hear is the word 'cancer.' That is what happened for Don's brother-in-law, Kyle Riley, almost 19 years ago. Brittany was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in January of 2002. Kyle and his wife, Jill, spent the next two and a half years navigating Brittany's treatment, but the cancer journey as parents doesn't just end when the treatment does.

Today we release this podcast on Brittany's 21st birthday.

When Jason Brown passed away 24 years ago from liver cancer his story was far from over. The love, passion, and faith of his family has kept his legacy alive -- and they gather every year in a place he loved to remember him. On this episode Don talks with his mother, Diane Brown, and his sister, Carrie Brown Bradley, as they attend this yearly event.

A family, a community, and a son, Jason Bailey (now 24-years-old) keep his spirit alive.

Happy Father's Day

While the recording of this episode came from Don's Path to Life fundraiser in March 2019, the story originated much earlier. In September of 2018, just a month after receiving his diagnosis of Myleodysplastic Syndrome and just weeks after his first round of chemo, Don walked into his first Story Night at Montana Gallery. Not knowing if he would share or, if so, what he would share he took the stage and the result was his first story, 'I Love My Yard.'

A story of family, cancer, and the things we hold dear.

When Paul Jones' wife, Tami, took a fall down the garage stairs on a Thursday in 2013, he had no way of knowing that within one short week they would be facing a terminal diagnosis of glioblastoma. Listen as Paul shares the story of Tami's fierce strength and their enduring faith. Come hear the cancer journey through the eyes of the caregiver.