GOTTA HAVE FAITH

Never give up and never lose hope.

That was the lesson Jim Boliek learned when he watched a dear friend valiantly battle cancer. The friend, Randy Jones, had melanoma and was given six months to live. He survived for five years before succumbing to the disease in 2011.

“Randy never once lost his faith in God,” says Jim, a resident of Fruitland Park. “What a great witness to God he was. I have a short hero list and he’s on it. I told myself then, ‘If I ever come down with a disease, I hope I’m just like Randy was.’”

That opportunity came in November 2017 when Jim was diagnosed with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), the most common type of sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract. He would need to muster every bit of faith he could to survive what has been an emotional roller-coaster ride with cancer.

He was misdiagnosed on two occasions—first with nonHodgkin’s lymphoma and then stomach cancer. Then, a scheduled surgery was halted in the middle of the procedure when the surgeon realized Jim’s tumor was much larger than expected. The operation left him reeling.

“I had very little appetite and lost 25 pounds,” he says. “I couldn’t even get up the stairs in my home without help from my wife, Linda. My energy level was low, and I just wanted to sit in the chair. That was my refuge.”

A second surgery was scheduled at University of Florida Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville. However, it was canceled when oncologists determined he had GIST rather than stomach cancer. That turned out to be a godsend.

“Had I gone through that surgery, I probably would’ve had my stomach and the lower part of my esophagus removed,” he says.

Today, Jim is taking a pill designed to specifi melanoma. He feels “as close to normal” as he has in many months. And despite the ups and downs of his cancer battle, he has never wavered in his faith. That—and the power of prayer—has helped him get through tough and confusing times.

“I have people in fi praying for me and a wonderful support group that includes my immediate family, church family, and extended family I don’t know,” says Jim, a member of Heritage Community Church in Fruitland Park. “Will I be disappointed if I’m not healed? You better believe it. But will I keep my faith and trust in God? You better believe that, too.”

Jim hopes his cancer battle can positively impact others just as Randy’s battle affected him.

“If I come in contact with 1,000 people and only one reaches out to Jesus Christ as his or her savior, then having cancer was all worth it.”

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