HOPE 2--Brittany Maynard Had None

Brittany Maynard became famous for murdering herself on a self-appointed day and time rather than suffer through a process that she interpreted as inevitable and horrible and undignified--dying from a glioblastoma brain tumor.  I could go on and on about the fact that there's nothing "brave" or "dignified" about suicide for any reason--assisted or not.  God alone is the author of life and He alone has sovereignty over death.  But that's not the focus of this post.

Brittany Maynard had no hope.  She had no hope of surviving her brain tumor.  She had no hope of avoiding the difficult process of her body succumbing to the cancer.  She had no hope of any treatment being able to improve her odds or her quality of life.  Instead of choosing to fight for her life, she not only chose to take it, she chose to publicize her decision and actively encourage others to follow her--to believe the lie that giving up and killing yourself is brave and dignified and honorable.  To believe that there is no HOPE.

She didn't look hard enough.  She gave up too soon. I agree that standard medical treatment most likely wouldn't have helped her.  But standard treatment wasn't her only option.  I just wrote a post on the Ketogenic diet and its efficacy in fighting cancer.  This diet is even effective against brain tumors like Brittany's.  The link at the bottom is research on this very topic.  It's fascinating and filled with HOPE.  But Brittany will never know now.  She robbed her loved ones of knowing.  She tried to convince countless others that it doesn't matter if there are answers out there somewhere.

By the way, my hope doesn't lie in a diet.  My HOPE lies in the fact that I've personally placed my trust in Christ as my Savior.  He placed his righteousness on me as he took my sin on himself.  He loves me, and whatever he allows in my life will work out for good.  Whenever I die--in God's perfect timing, not my own, I have HOPE (a confidence, not a wish) that I will be in the presence of God and His Son for eternity. 

How dare I try to skip out on His refining process of my life because in my short-sighted, pitiful human mind, I decide I don't like His plan, and it's not worth it.  How dare any of us.  Instead of giving up, can I encourage you to put your HOPE in Christ and embrace His perfect plan for your life?  As long as we draw breath, there is HOPE.


http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005272810006857/