StemCell Therapy

Published Saturday, February 25, 2012 12:19 AM

By COLETTE M. JENKINS

Akron Beacon Journal

AKRON, Ohio -- Don Lichi has always wanted to leave a legacy of a life well-lived.

Exactly what that means has been at the center of his thoughts since November, when he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow).

"At the moment my doctor used the word 'cancer,' my life changed. I have always been a caregiver, but I've had to learn to receive" said Lichi, a prominent psychologist and vice president of Akron, Ohio's Emerge Ministries. "As a man of faith, I am a big believer in healing. I pray for healing.

"If God chooses to take me, I want to be ready for that, too. But I want my life to have been lived in a way that is worthy of being remembered."

Lichi, 59, was preparing in November for his 12th marathon when he started having excruciating back pain. At first, his doctor thought it might be a slipped disk, but subsequent medical tests revealed it was cancer.

Now, Lichi is undergoing treatment that is preparing him for a stem cell transplant.

"Your life can change on a dime. One day you're moving along, seemingly healthy, with a lot of energy and a fulfilling ministry, and then your world is turned upside down," a visibly emotional Lichi said. "My tears come pretty quickly -- sometimes out of pain, sometimes out of the joy of knowing I'm not going through this journey alone, sometimes out of frustration, sometimes out of fear of the unknown -- but I am thankful that I have an inner compass, which is Jesus Christ, to guide me as I go through this storm."

In addition to being on the leadership team at Emerge (a full-service evangelical Christian mental-health outpatient center in Akron, Ohio), Lichi is an adjunct professor at Ashland Theological Seminary and Trinity International University in Illinois.

He has also done ministry in India, Brazil, Thailand, Ecuador, Germany, Switzerland, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Romania, China, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and Nicaragua. He has served as counsel to pastors and ministry leaders.

The Rev. Paul Sartarelli, senior pastor at The Chapel, is a friend and ministry partner. Sartarelli was with Lichi when he received the cancer diagnosis and said Lichi has graciously applied the same coping mechanisms to his own life that he has counseled others to use.

"He has really dealt with this well. It's a testimony of who he is. He is a man full of faith. He is a man full of wisdom," Sartarelli said. "As a counselor, he always has great advice, and he is practicing all of the things that he has encouraged others to do over the years. He has been an immeasurable resource to others. Now, it's time for us to come alongside him and be his support system."

Lichi is focusing on what he calls "God moments" -- times when it is clear to him that his source of strength is intervening on his behalf. One of those instances occurred in January, when his primary oncologist prescribed a crucial medication that cost $8,000 out-of-pocket for three weeks of treatment.

"We had no idea how we were going to pay for it, but I trusted God and asked my family and friends to pray with me for whatever God could provide," Lichi said. "An anonymous source called my office one morning, and by the end of the day, the cost of the [first round of] Revlimid was completely covered. I can't tell you how grateful we are to the couple who provided for that and all of the people who have prayed, sent cards, prepared a meal, showed an act of kindness and shared their love."

View original post here:
Psychologist depends on faith in battle with cancer

This entry was posted on February 25, 2012 at 12:26 pm and is filed under Stem Cell Russia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |