DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
GMA’s Robin Roberts Presses On
© NaimaLett.com/blog

© ABC News

When we look up “courage” years from now…
we’ll see inspirations like Good Morning America’s anchor Robin Roberts.

Today, Robin is undergoing a complete bone marrow transplant “to treat myelodysplastic syndrome, or MDS, a disorder in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough healthy blood cells”. She developed MDS, a rare blood disorder, as a result of her breast cancer treatment several years ago.

If that’s not enough, Robin is still mourning the loss of her 88-year old mother, Lucimarian Tolliver Roberts, who passed away AUG 30th, just 3 weeks ago today. Ms. Tolliver was the first African American to serve as chairwoman of the Mississippi State Board of Education. Robin fought through blocked and flooded roads caused by Hurricane Isaac to get to her mother’s side in Gulfport, Mississippi before she passed, but she made it. Robin’s father, Col. Lawrence E. Roberts, a Tuskegee Airman and decorated Vietnam veteran, had already passed in 2004.

Robin has taken chemotherapy over the last 3 months and then went into the hospital 11 days ago to prepare for the complete bone marrow transplant. She just finished 8 days of intense chemotherapy, including 18 hours straight on Tuesday, to completely wipe out all of her bone marrow cells and immune system cells to prepare her to receive the new bone marrow cells from her sister, Sally-Ann Roberts, a perfect donor match.

Chemo is no joke.
My husband and I know this firsthand. When you’ve experienced something like it, and then you see someone else going through it, your heart immediately wells up.

It takes courage to undergo any major medical procedure, but that’s not why I’m calling Robin so courageous. When faced with life or death, we all hopefully do whatever we can to choose life. I applaud Robin’s bravery for using her national television platform to educate the world on each one of the health challenges that she faces with no vanity or pride.

Even when I have thought “This is too much. Kick the cameras out. Take care of yourself, Robin”, she has allowed the cameras to keep rolling, capturing the truth about treatment for breast cancer and now treatment for MDS. I love yal, but ain’t no way I would’ve allowed cameras to roll on me and Kevin going through his chemo, before and after, and everything in between. It’s ugly. And honestly, I don’t care to cherish those painful moments.

But there Robin is, hospital bed, large Jimmy Kimmel LIVE sweatshirt and pink Nike hat, letting the world see her weakened state, no makeup, no athletic prowess, dishing about “If you change the way you think, you change the way you feel.”

In this 30-second video clip from the hospital, Robin thanks everyone for their love.

In a longer GMA video, Robin’s oncologist, Dr. Gail Roboz, explains Robin’s treatment.

Robin is a woman of faith.
She believes in the healing power of God. As her family in Christ, we lift Robin up today, just as we did when she made the announcement back in June (BLOG: Here We Go Again).

Believers are instructed in James 5:14-16: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Assuming the elders of Robin’s local body have physically prayed over and anointed her, we globally add our intercession and prayers of faith that make the sick person well, knowing that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much.

We pray:
a very specific prayer that Robin’s body will not reject, but completely accept, her sister’s bone marrow. We pray that the next 30 days of recovery will be infection free. We pray that the Lord will rebuild Robin’s immune system quickly and that she won’t suffer from shingles or influenza or pneumonia or any other sickness. We pray for her white blood cells to reproduce quickly to be able to fight for her. We pray that each good cell that Robin needs to live will be infused with Christ’s resurrection life. We pray that “this sickness would not end in death, but it is for God’s glory that the Son of God would be glorified through it.” John 11:4 Lastly, we pray that Robin, her sisters and brother will be comforted by the Holy Spirit during this time of loss as they grieve the passing of their mother. Please lift them and carry them, Lord. You are able.

Love to Robin and all our family members who are surviving today.
We are praying for you,
Naima

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