Update on my student, R:

Late yesterday afternoon a diagnosis came in - R has a very, very rare form of sarcoma that causes large tumors in the abdomen. It usually goes misdiagnosed for a long time because it can look like other cancers due to its location. It is a childhood cancer and is primarily found in boys. I am praying that her prognosis will be good because this diagnosis came so quickly and she has not already been treated for the wrong type of cancer. Her mom cautioned against using the internet for information on this type of cancer - because it is so rare, the information is not up to date and the most current treatments are not factored in to the survival rates. Of course, I couldn't help myself, and she was right - the most current info I found was from 2001, and was grim. Please specifically pray that R's doctors will quickly determine the stage of the cancer, and begin the appropriate treatment immediately. Pray for R to respond well to the treatment, and pray that her little body will stay strong enough to keep her sunny spirit! Also pray for her mom, K, who is just beginning to process this information. And huge praise for a diagnosis, as just knowing what she has is a huge step towards a cure!