A man from Houston, Texas, who was given just two months to live after being diagnosed with a brain tumor six years ago, is crediting God for keeping him alive.
In 2016, Israel Lemus was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. When he was diagnosed, Lemus was told he had a golf ball-sized tumor in his brain and only had two months to live.
“The typical prognosis is 14-24 months. They told me two months. I was 29 years old,” Lemus told KHOU-TV.
Since being diagnosed, Lemus has undergone three surgeries and tried every available cancer
treatment, Faithwire reports.
According to Mayo Clinic, glioblastoma is a disease that can be slowed but not cured.
Despite his diagnosis, Lemus has gotten married, purchased his first home and changed careers.
“To me, it’s 100% God,” he told the outlet. “Honestly, I’m thankful to God for every day. The first thing I do when I wake up and the last thing I do before going to sleep is thank God for that day.”
Noting that he doesn’t feel sick despite still having cancer, Lemus said, “The scans may show different, and the doctors may say different, but in my mind, I’m in remission,”
Dr. Jay-Jiguang Zhu, an oncologist from UT Health Houston/Memorial Hermann, also called Lemus’ survival miraculous. “It is a miracle,” he said before noting that Lemus is not technically in remission because the disease still shows up on his MRI.
The doctor said Lemus’ survival is a mystery. He insisted that having a positive attitude, a strong support system, and a dedicated team of doctors involved in his treatment likely contributed to his survival.
“He’s my miracle. I tell him all the time,” Lemus’ wife Samantha told KHOU-TV.
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Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer. He is also the co-hosts of the For Your Soul podcast, which seeks to equip the church with biblical truth and sound doctrine. Visit his blog Blessed Are The Forgiven.