2/1/25 Ultreya

It was a cool evening on February 1, 2025 at St. Therese de Lisieux Church in Wellington. After a successful Information Night, about 25 Community members and friends gathered to hear witness speaker, Louis Giannone, speak about his unwavering faith during some health trials in his life. We were all humbled to hear his story of overcoming obstacles and strengthening his relationship with Jesus. Spiritual Advisor, Deacon Joe O'Connell, summarized it the best of living with stage 4 cancer and having blind faith. Louis experienced a parallel situation to Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane; however, Louis' friends did not abandon him like the apostles abandoned Jesus in his time of need.

Please pray with me

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of us your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Good evening. My name is Louis Giannone and I worship at St. Therese de Lisieux. I experienced Cursillo # 56 in 2014 and sat at the table of St. Padre Pio.

In 2017, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I was told it was an aggressive one. In early 2018, I started 40 days of radiaton. It took a toll on my body. For about a year, I had a hard time with having no energy and picking anything over 5 pounds. There were days I felt like superman, then there were days that I felt as if I came into contact with kryptonite. I wanted to start a Men’s Group at my parish but I did not have the energy to do it.

In September of 2019, I spoke with Father Downey of my interest in starting a Men’s Group. He stated “I like that idea but let’s wait until the New Year. Hopefully this pandemic will be gone.” Well, we all know how that turned out in January of 2020. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted the nation and our daily normalcy was gone for about three years.

I finally went back to my urologist in September of 2021. During the rise of the pandemic, I did not see my urologist and my PSA number jumped from 0.001 to 24.00. I was informed that because I did not get my six month shot of Eligard, I ended up with getting bone cancer on my right number #11 rib. I was advised to go see an oncologist at the Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute. The treatment that was suggested by my oncologist was to go monthly to the Florida Cancer Specialists office to get an injection of Zometa for 12 months while I was still getting Eligard every six months. Zometa is a treatment for bone cancer.

In February 2023, I went back to Father Downey and I requested to him again about starting a Men’s Group. Father Downey mentioned that the day before, Marty Perone, contacted him about starting a Men’s Group. Father Downey told Marty that he knew the perfect person that he can team up with to start a Men’s Group. He gave Marty’s information and we then met for breakfast. We decided to have the Men’s Group on Saturdays at 8:00 in the morning.

A couple of weeks later, I was at all the Masses inviting all men from the parish to come and attend the Men’s Group. The parish included the invitation in the weekly Bulletin. During the first weekend in March, it was only Marty and I that showed up at the first gathering. After three weeks, we had our first brother, Alan, attend the meeting. I never met him before but he advised me that his wife told him to attend the meeting and he has been coming ever since. Little by little, the Men’s Group had grown. We have over 24 members. On any given Staturday morning, not all 24 members come but we do manage to have at least 12 members, if not more. A year later, because of the success of the Men’s Group, the Women’s Group started at the parish.

During this time, I started going to the VA (Veterans Administration) to get my Zometa treatment. I was told by the urologist that if I agree, I should be able to get my prostate taken out. Doing this, I wouldn’t have to get a shot every six months. The doctor wanted me to get some tests done before the decision of removing my prostate can happen.

I had an MRI, Cat Scan and Pet Scan done. All three tests stated there was an issue with my right number #11 rib. They advised me to get a biopsy done on my right rib. While getting my biopsy, I asked the doctor if she had the right bit on the drill. It was not a pleasing feeling. The results of the biopsy came back stating that I had cancer on my right number #11 rib only and that I would need to get radiation treatment again. I saw the radiation oncologist at the VA hospital. He said that I would only need five treatments and unfortunately, I will be living with stage 4 prostate cancer for the rest of my life. The doctor also said that if they do take out my prostate, then the cancer would spread all over my body.

During the last weekend of August of 2024 at the Men’s Group, I mentioned that I was worried about getting radiation again and not having the energy or being able to pick up five pounds. One of our brothers, Raul De La Rua, took it upon himself to talk to our brothers and my wife about the plan on how the group would help me out. He arranged that from September 9th to September 13, one of my brothers each day would drive me to the VA. Raul said to me and my wife: “We got this.”

The week before I had my radiation, I asked my manager if I can work from home. I mentioned to him that the following week, I had to get five treatments of radiation. He understood. The Friday before I started my radiation, the company I was working for, laid off 13 people, and of course, I was one of them. The week after that, my sister had to fly to Italy to be with my mom because she was in the hospital with pnemonia and was dying.

In September of 2024, God was testing me. I started going for my radiation treatments and then the following week, I got laid off. Another week later, my Mom was in the hospital. Still another week later after that, I had a leak in my roof. I can honestly say I never questioned God, but I went to talk to Deacon Pete about what was going on. I know God gives you what you can handle but I wanted a time out. While this was going on, the Men’s Group decided that they wanted to take up a collection for a family in need.

I was worried and depressed about what I was going through. The first week in October, my sister was able to get my mom home to the United States. I was happy and yet, I was worried about family funds. When I went to the funeral for Father Marco at St. Rita, I prayed to God before receiving commuion and asked Him, “What are you trying to tell me? Do you want me to leave Wellington, St. Therese and leave all the ministries that I am part of at the church?” While I was home that evening, I went on the computer to the VA.gov website and noticed that I was awarded 100 percent disablity for prostate cancer. The following day, my short term disability was approved and finally received my Severance Agreement from where I worked. A week later, Marty, one of my brothers from the Men’s Group and his wife Barbara from the Women’s Group, came to my house with a basket of goodies and a Christmas money tree. My wife and I were humbled and did not want it. My brother advised me the Men’s Group and Ladies Group wanted us to have it. I was the family in need.

I can honestly say after fighting battles of cancer, not once did I questioned Him. Father Downey keeps telling me that God is not done with me. He said to remember two things: Your family depends on you and the St. Therese Parish depends on you.

As of today, my PSA is 0.11, my mom is home in the states, my roof leak is fixed and I am still not working. I need to take prostate cancer medication twice a day and get my 6 month shot of Eligard. If my numbers start to get high again, I will have to get chemotherapy.

The Gospel stresses the importance of staying close to the Lord, trusting the Lord, and allowing the Lord to lead us, even when life is very difficult. Living with faith does not mean that life will be free from suffering – far from it! But it does mean knowing that even when circumstances seem dire or desperate, God has promised to never leave or forsake His children.

We must trust that when we submit ourselves entirely into His hands, He will work all things together for good. No matter how uncertain your circumstances may seem right now, always remember that nothing happens without God’s knowledge or permission.

It’s not easy living and knowing you have stage 4 cancer. Jesus said you must carry your cross and follow me. This is definitely one of my crosses I am carrying. It may kill me or it may not. I do no know, but what I do know is that I pray to God everyday, “Lord, you know what is in my heart and soul. If it's your will, let it be done. I love you, I trust you and I thank you.”

I would like to end with this prayer:

Father in Heaven,

I come before You with an open heart, eager to believe and experience the impossible. Banish every trace of doubt within me, and fortify my faith to stand firm against life's challenges. Let my trust in You not be based on circumstances but on Your steadfast love and unmatched power. I want to live in the fullness of belief, confident that with You, Lord, everything is truly possible.

In Jesus' name, Amen.