ANGELA Strong
Cancer diagnosis leads to ‘being still’
Angela Strong makes the most of her time during rounds of chemo treatments. (Courtesy photo)
12 May / June 2020 | Christian Living
By Gaye Bunderson In view of her circumstances, her name takes on greater meaning. Angela Strong is battling cancer. Staring into the face of a health struggle, she thankfully has a wide network of acquaintances, friends, and family to support her. Along with that, she's got faith. Put it all together and Angela Ruth Strong is very much strengthened. During an interview in a coffee shop on February 27, Strong looked well. Wearing a pink cap to cover the baldness caused by medication, she showed no sign of the worries that gripped her when she first heard her oncologist's words over the phone. Now 42, Strong was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in 2019 at age 41. “I got the phone call in October,” she said. When the oncologist laid out the facts of her cancer diagnosis, her first thought was, “I'm not going to see my kids' weddings.” She has three children — two daughters and a son, ages 20, 19, and 17. But in the coffee shop, she was ready to talk about the help she's getting from all kinds of people all over, and she opened up about how she's coping and being loved through her medical trial. At first, Strong kept the news of her cancer from her parents. One Friday late last year, she intended to take a trip to California to meet with a movie producer about one of the many books she has written, and she planned to stay with her paternal grandmother. When she had to cancel the trip due to a scheduled biopsy, she explained the situation to her grandmother and word passed through the family grapevine until her parents were ultimately told of her illness. They said to her, “We're so glad we know because we want to be praying for you.” News travels fast and even goes beyond family. When a pastor's wife from a local church heard that Strong had breast cancer, she sent her a Breast Cancer Bible; it has special verses highlighted in pink, and women who've survived breast cancer have written in the margins of the Bible, sometimes leaving their emails so they can be reached for wisdom and encouragement. Strong also got on the social network site CaringBridge, an online non-profit that allows people with various medical conditions to stay in touch with family and friends. Strong, who describes herself as “transparent,” went beyond the reach of people who know her and allowed people she's never met to connect with her on CaringBridge. It's been a two-way street; she shares her faith along with medical updates, and strangers tell her they're praying for her. It has been an amazing outlet for her, and she's gotten a lot from it. She's received rides to the hospital and said people have made her meals. Along with posting updates, she lists things she needs prayers for. “It's been good for me,” she said. Her husband Jim is a football player and biker and is a member of a biker group. Surprisingly, some of the other bikers made Strong some stained glass butterflies. It's just one of the kindnesses she's experienced. “Tragedy brings us together,” she said, “from bikers to businessman. We are in a divided country, but this has taught me that people are amazing.” She's received care packages, and contents have included a special lotion designed to help her sleep; a 52-week prayer journal that she and husband are writ-
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