This blog has been started to help tell the story of Sherry Osborne’s journey with cancer. Sherry was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer on September 1, 2023. The first article on this blog titled A New Journey Begins provides details of the diagnosis and initial treatment plan. It is our hope and prayer that you will be encouraged with what you read here. We have a wonderful family, a great group of friends, and a very loving church family supporting us.
The first few posts will be more facts and status from my perspective, but I will be shifting into sharing notes directly from Sherry’s journal. Sherry and I have had highs and lows with our spiritual journeys during our marriage. I find myself more often than not being encouraged by her walk with the Lord and feeling prompted to rekindle my own. Now is no different than many times in the past. Sherry has not been surprised by the events of the past two months. One of her journal entries says,
“That doctor said I needed a biopsy because it [mammogram and ultrasound result] was suspicious. Upon hearing this news on 8/17, I know it was cancer. This is not because I am pessimistic. I had structured our days…We would listen to Gateway to Joy by Elisabeth Elliot where she was breaking down the Lord’s Prayer. She seemed to camp out on the part “Thy will be done”. I was learning that everything that happens in ‘my’ day is the Lord’s “portion” for me…The cup cost Jesus so much! Why do we think as believers it will cost us nothing? Ouch! When I pray, Lord have your will be done in my life, I really mean it. It was these truths I heard over and over during our devotion so when I heard the lump was suspicious my mind was instantly brought back back to our devotions. The 12 days between the tests and the biopsy was a painful wrestling of wills. I wanted God’s best for me but did it have to include cancer? I felt that the Lord pressing on me that the “cancer” path was something I needed to walk through. My mind kept going back to the truths I had learned as we walked through the path of having a medically special needs child. The lessons are similar but seem deeper, and more personal this time.”
From the first entry to Sherry’s Journal
As I proof read that quote out loud to Sherry before publishing this page, she got emotional. She is a VERY strong woman, and does not get emotional like this very often. She is not taking this journey lightly and she is not taking it alone. She wrote in her very next entry, “I don’t know the future, but I know the One who holds it (& me!).”
From a practical perspective, many of you may not have even known until now what is going on with Sherry and our family. Every day adds new complexities to this journey and trying to repeat the explanation of it all from the beginning is becoming overwhelming for Sherry and me. We hope this blog brings you up to date and provides you with specifics to pray about. We have not purposely excluded sharing this news with anyone. To our friends who did not know before reading this, please accept this site as a gift to help you understand what Sherry is going through and how it affects our family and interactions with others. We have been very busy processings all of the information and logistics related to this diagnosis. There have been lots of medical appointments leading up to the publication of this site and we expect many more to come.
The following was written about us and it does a much better job of explaining our heart:
The Osbornes, one of the most fun-loving and godly families we know, were met with tough news earlier this September. After finding a lump in her breast, Sherry would be diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. Hank and Sherry have submitted their hearts and minds to walk humbly and obediently before the Lord Jesus, accepting the purification that comes when faced with a trial. They are quite familiar with the hurdles of the medical world. Fighting many years for the life of one of their sons, both Hank and Sherry have walked with him to achieve incredible milestones. Most would give up or turn their back on God but not the Osbornes. Their attitudes of service and sacrifice go well beyond their home. This passionate mama of six adores teaching not only her own children but also teaching teens speech and debate as well as reading to little ones and teaching them to spell. Most people would be overwhelmed by her daily routine; however, difficulty never stopped Sherry. She would even drop what she was doing to pour out Christ’s love on another.
Written by our dear friend Ashleigh
Please send an email to me (Hank) at the following address if you desire to be contacted when new information is posted on this blog. I will be posting on Facebook and tagging Sherry’s account when updates are made here. Most of this blog will be written by me based on observations and notes from Sherry’s journal.
Sincerely,
Hank
