THIRTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD father of five, Glenn Samuel, says he’s counting on Saint Lucians to send some kindness his way as he battles an ailment for which he was diagnosed about three months ago.
Samuel, who lives at Bois Patat, Castries, told The VOICE that his ordeal began over six months ago. He said that in June last year, he noticed a gland on the left side of his groin area. Over the next three months, the gland developed, becoming the size of a tennis ball. After continuous pleadings from his wife of two years, Michelle, he finally went to the doctor in September.
Initially, he was told that he might have contracted a sexually-transmitted disease which, he said, could not have been the case. After being referred to other doctors, a biopsy on one of the glands revealed that he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), a cancer which starts in the lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system.
By last December, Samuel’s neck and feet had also become swollen as he made desperate pleas for assistance to undergo tests and other treatments. Following two days of treatment, he said, that gland had subsided. Nevertheless, he said he still needs to undergo three more treatments for his ailment, even though his faith has been rewarding thus far.
“Right now, I’m getting better by God’s grace,” Samuel said Tuesday. “God is the centre of everything. That is why I’m healing so quickly at the moment. Even the doctors are amazed at how quickly I’m healing. I’ve only done one session of chemotherapy and the doctor couldn’t believe that within two days the glands in my neck had gone down.”
An account has been opened in his name at Bank of Saint Lucia and the number is 929452472. You can also reach him at 520 2325 or his wife at 723 6746. Whatever assistance he can get, he said, he will be appreciative since he is currently finding it difficult to work. Nevertheless, Samuel said he still finds the strength to make the rounds selling products that he and his wife order online. The business, he said, took a severe blow because no sooner had they started it than his health problems began.
Samuel said the cost of his treatments amount to roughly $4,000, which include scans. He expressed gratitude to Tapion Hospital for generously giving him one of the two scans he has received thus far free of charge. Other forms of support for his cause have been rendered but he said he remains hopeful that more people would help him fight this battle.
It seems to me this is a man of faith who lives in the fear of God. Based on this, he must rise and claim healing from the great Healer. But behaving stupid and stubborn about one’s health, is an enemy to healing — so men, take note. God be with you brother.