Battle against cancer by young woman at Vanderbilt Medical Center puts all things in perspective; pray for her and the good doctors

With all the focus on the Republicans, Gustav and college football, it's hard not to lose one's focus on what matters in the moment -- because that really is all that any of us have.

In a Vanderbilt Medical Center room, a young Nashville woman in her early 20s is dying from bone cancer. She is in pain, as is her mother at her bedside who recently had a double mastectomy for breast cancer.

But mom, as all moms, will not be torn away from her child now of all times.

The two have fought the bone cancer for seven years now, between trips to Vanderbilt, MD Anderson in Houston and an oasis of alternative cancer treatment in Mexico.

The young, beautiful woman with blonde hair and a model's face has faced down death twice before. And through the grace of God she has survived.

But determining God's will has never been easy for any mortal. The prayers continue for her recovery. The prayers continue that she will still be able to become a mom herself, as she first wished more than a decade ago. The prayers continue that God will raise her here on this earth to lead a long life of being such a positive influence to all with who she had come in contact.

So many hearts are breaking. Yet so many of us continue to pray. We ask you at this moment whereever you are reading this blog post to say a prayer for her, too.

This brave young woman is on morphine to cut back at least some of her tremendous pain. She wants to stay in the hospital and have the medicine increased so she can still fight no matter the odds. Hospital officials, her family says, want to send her home. Of course that is just family's side of the story. And VUMC cannot talk to someone like me legally outside of the family about the case. All I know from my experience fighting cancer there is that VUMC officials are most compassionate.

It is my prayer that the doctors and family and the young woman can come to agreement to let her stay in the hospital, even if to the end.

Across this nation on Friday, an unprecedented telethon will be held on the three major networks to raise money for research to more effectively fight cancer. It is a most worthy effort. Please watch and offer your support.

And if you are reading this blog post, say a prayer now to a God of such sovereignty that he still would rescue this young woman even at this most desperate moment. And please say a prayer that the good Vanderbilt doctors will let her stay in the hospital to fight to the very last moment, as has been her inspiring way for the past seven years.

O, God, have mercy. Amen.