News & Scoops
30 Apr 2004
Roger Bennett Health Update
Just received the following note from Scott Fowler:
Hey gang,
I just got off the phone with Roger, and he is feeling great. This is not spin, he really is feeling good.. His blood counts are on the rise, which is good. All the preliminary tests and results are great so far. His doctor told him this morning that if he continues to progress on his current track, he may be out of the hospital early next week. That would be about two weeks ahead of schedule. Needless to say, those words were the best medicine Roger has had so far. He is very excited about the prospect of leaving the lush, royal environment of the hospital. No doubt he is ready for a big, greasy pizza.
So....your prayers are making a difference. Keep them coming.
Scott
News & Scoops
14 Apr 2004
Roger Bennett Health Update
We received the following email from Roger Bennett:
I'm lying in bed right now taking my first treatment. I guess this is day -13. I will be admitted into the hospital next Wednesday.
I received my test results from the latest lymph node biopsy. The news wasn't what I hoped for. It seems that my leukemia has transformed into lymphoma. Apparently a more aggressive form of cancer than CLL. This will not change the bone marrow transplant except that I guess the stakes are higher now. Lymphoma if not controlled quickly can have a more serious outcome.
Of course this is not the news that we wanted, but I promise you that my trust is intact. If I believed God could bring me through my first diagnosis nearly 9 years ago, I have to believe that He will get me through this most recent trial.
I know many of you have been waiting to hear the results and will be upset with this report, but let me encourage you to trust God. I've been blessed too much to think that God has anything but my good in store either way.
I've heard the poetic expression, "My faith still holds", true, but at times like these when my vision is blurred by the bad news of today, it's not about me or my performance with my faith. It's about His power to "hold me".
I will be taking this treatment until at least 3 am. My shadow (Debbie) is right here taking every hit that I take, so pray for her strength tonight as well.
Still In His Grip!
Roger
News & Scoops
31 Oct 2003
Roger Bennett Health Update
An Open Letter from Roger Bennett
Hello,
I know that it has seemed slow getting an update from me lately but my treatment situation has been changing almost daily and I wanted to wait until I knew the plan until I shared with you. Hopefully this will avoid rumors or confusion.
Here are the facts:
My cancer has indeed returned and seems to be much more aggressive this time. My counts are going up in a very fast manner. This is not good for a CLL patient. I'm beginning to feel the effects of it in my energy level.
The fear is that it looks as if this cancer,if left untreated, could change into an even more aggressive deadly form. So with that news, here is the plan.
In about 2 weeks I'll go back to Houston and will undergo a procedure which will remove many of my white blood cells. The Dr's say that it is similar to a dialysis machine. After collection the cells will be sent to a lab in Seattle where they will be,for lack of a better word, "supercharged". This will boost them from 100% to 1000% in their immunity power. This will take approx. 5 weeks. Then the treated cells will be re-infused into my system.
This is expected to help me get stronger and to beat back the progression of the CLL. Then at some date in the future I will need a bone marrow transplant. The timing on this is really up in the air. There is so much to be done with finding a donor and getting insurance approval. Concerning the donor.....if you are interested (as many have already expressed), don't call me or our office to inquire. The Dr's say the only way is for you to get in touch with the bone marrow registry at 1-800-2-MARROW. If you happen to be a m!
atch for me....you will be flagged and MD Anderson will be notified. I didn't realize it but this is a huge list of great people who have decided to be donors. Since I don't have any brothers or sisters this is my best hope. They also tell me that my chance of finding a donor based on my circumstances is 75-85% - a very good chance.
Now I know that this is not what any of us wanted to hear. But let me encourage you to be of good cheer. God has not failed me in the least.
This is just another opportunity for His strength to be perfected in my weakness!!!
Concerning Legacy Five....I intend to travel until the last possible day before this transplant and come back to work on the first day I'm released.
My calling hasn't changed just because my health has! The guys are 1000% behind me and I'm not finished yet! We are working on details to let me still be able to be a part of the concert with various high tech means.
I'll keep you posted.
Concerning the timing....I really don't know. It could be 4 months from now or it could be a year. I'm just trusting God's timing in all of this. Much less stress for me that way.
About my needs...I really ask that when you pray for me that you include my family. Debbie is yet again my rock through this valley and my kids Chelsea and Jordan are just great. But I know that there will be some long nights of worry, so please pray that Deb and the kids will stay encouraged and healthy themselves. Debbie will be keeping you up to date with any new details if I can't.
That's about it. Oh yes, one favor to me if you will. Please don't think that I'm holding anything out on you and press me for more details. I'm being 100% honest with you. I want to continue singing and playing the way God's called me to do and not become "Cancer boy". Thanks for understanding. Please don't treat me like I'm sick or dying...I want to keep this as real and normal as possible.(those of you who know me well are saying "when has he ever been normal"!)
Concerning alternate treatments....I have explored them all. And after much prayer and leading from the Lord...this is the path I've chosen...please don't be offended...just respect my decision.
OK...all the heavy stuff out of the way! whewww! Bottom line...I'm sick...so what? So are millions of other folks. (many of YOU) and we'll all just get through it as the grace of God allows!
Just remember...if I ever write a book about these days it will be called.....I've Got Cancer...Cancer doesn't have ME!
I love you so much! Your prayers in my behalf will be more effective than any treatment I will ever have.
In His Grip!
Roger Bennett
II Corinthians 4:16-18
News & Scoops
Roger Bennett Health Update
An Open Letter from Roger Bennett
Hello,
I know that it has seemed slow getting an update from me lately but my treatment situation has been changing almost daily and I wanted to wait until I knew the plan until I shared with you. Hopefully this will avoid rumors or confusion.
Here are the facts:
My cancer has indeed returned and seems to be much more aggressive this time. My counts are going up in a very fast manner. This is not good for a CLL patient. I'm beginning to feel the effects of it in my energy level.
The fear is that it looks as if this cancer,if left untreated, could change into an even more aggressive deadly form. So with that news, here is the plan.
In about 2 weeks I'll go back to Houston and will undergo a procedure which will remove many of my white blood cells. The Dr's say that it is similar to a dialysis machine. After collection the cells will be sent to a lab in Seattle where they will be,for lack of a better word, "supercharged". This will boost them from 100% to 1000% in their immunity power. This will take approx. 5 weeks. Then the treated cells will be re-infused into my system.
This is expected to help me get stronger and to beat back the progression of the CLL. Then at some date in the future I will need a bone marrow transplant. The timing on this is really up in the air. There is so much to be done with finding a donor and getting insurance approval. Concerning the donor.....if you are interested (as many have already expressed), don't call me or our office to inquire. The Dr's say the only way is for you to get in touch with the bone marrow registry at 1-800-2-MARROW. If you happen to be a m!
atch for me....you will be flagged and MD Anderson will be notified. I didn't realize it but this is a huge list of great people who have decided to be donors. Since I don't have any brothers or sisters this is my best hope. They also tell me that my chance of finding a donor based on my circumstances is 75-85% - a very good chance.
Now I know that this is not what any of us wanted to hear. But let me encourage you to be of good cheer. God has not failed me in the least.
This is just another opportunity for His strength to be perfected in my weakness!!!
Concerning Legacy Five....I intend to travel until the last possible day before this transplant and come back to work on the first day I'm released.
My calling hasn't changed just because my health has! The guys are 1000% behind me and I'm not finished yet! We are working on details to let me still be able to be a part of the concert with various high tech means.
I'll keep you posted.
Concerning the timing....I really don't know. It could be 4 months from now or it could be a year. I'm just trusting God's timing in all of this. Much less stress for me that way.
About my needs...I really ask that when you pray for me that you include my family. Debbie is yet again my rock through this valley and my kids Chelsea and Jordan are just great. But I know that there will be some long nights of worry, so please pray that Deb and the kids will stay encouraged and healthy themselves. Debbie will be keeping you up to date with any new details if I can't.
That's about it. Oh yes, one favor to me if you will. Please don't think that I'm holding anything out on you and press me for more details. I'm being 100% honest with you. I want to continue singing and playing the way God's called me to do and not become "Cancer boy". Thanks for understanding. Please don't treat me like I'm sick or dying...I want to keep this as real and normal as possible.(those of you who know me well are saying "when has he ever been normal"!)
Concerning alternate treatments....I have explored them all. And after much prayer and leading from the Lord...this is the path I've chosen...please don't be offended...just respect my decision.
OK...all the heavy stuff out of the way! whewww! Bottom line...I'm sick...so what? So are millions of other folks. (many of YOU) and we'll all just get through it as the grace of God allows!
Just remember...if I ever write a book about these days it will be called.....I've Got Cancer...Cancer doesn't have ME!
I love you so much! Your prayers in my behalf will be more effective than any treatment I will ever have.
In His Grip!
Roger Bennett
II Corinthians 4:16-18
News & Scoops
09 Dec 2002
Roger Bennett Health Update
Hello,
I just wanted drop you a note to let you know my progress. The chemo has been very tough this time, BUT incredibly I'm feeling much better for the last 3 days. More good news is that the treatments seem to be working! The day I started my chemo my white blood count was 28,000 which is real high for my situation. It was steadily going up. The Leukemia cell were 78% in my blood cells. My check up yesterday showed my white count was down to 4,000 and my lymphocytes are 1%! Praise God! Of course, I'm in the early stages of treatment. I've got many more to go, but this latest news is so encouraging! God has been and continues to be so good to me! I'm so thankful for His mercy.
Thanks so much for your prayers. You'll never know how much my family and I have come to depend on them.
I'll keep you posted with any updates.
In His Grip!
Roger Bennett
News & Scoops
22 Aug 2002
Roger Bennett Health Update
In a telephone conversation with the Legacy Five office today it was reported that the doctor did find cancer cells in his recent visit to MD Anderson Clinic in Houston, TX. However, the doctors are confident that a new treatment that is being used now will be able to control this situation. Roger will be returning to MD Anderson Clinic in 3 - 4 months to begin this new treatment. Legacy Five's office informed us that Roger is in good spirits and is confident that this new treatment will be successful as well as is trusting in God to handle this situation.
An official statement from Roger will be forthcoming, but in the meantime he is thankful for your concern and prayers.
News & Scoops
Roger Bennett Health Update
In a telephone conversation with the Legacy Five office today it was reported that the doctor did find cancer cells in his recent visit to MD Anderson Clinic in Houston, TX. However, the doctors are confident that a new treatment that is being used now will be able to control this situation. Roger will be returning to MD Anderson Clinic in 3 - 4 months to begin this new treatment. Legacy Five's office informed us that Roger is in good spirits and is confident that this new treatment will be successful as well as is trusting in God to handle this situation.
An official statement from Roger will be forthcoming, but in the meantime he is thankful for your concern and prayers.
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Written: 04/30/2004 
Author: SGN
Category:
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