“Pray about it!” is the best advice Karla Redding has ever received. “Pray about it!” That is the best advice Karla would like to give to others. “We will never please
the world, and we can’t be all things for all people all the time. I just need to be where God wants me to be, one purpose at a time, and one day at a time. Prayer fills in the spaces. Lots of spaces!”
At the age of 20, Karla became a single mom, at 25 she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and at 38 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. When Karla was diagnosed with breast cancer, she had no risk factors and her doctors said she had done everything right. The hardest thing for Karla was having to tell her daughter Amanda, who was a freshman in college. “I remember saying to her; ‘it’s cancer and it’s all in God’s hands,’ and I knew it was.” Later Karla found out that Amanda wrote
a paper describing that moment and stated, “She had never seen faith like that before!”
With the support of her family (husband
Randy, son Cody, and Amanda), Karla
sought out the advice of her doctors. With
their help and great work, Karla is happy to
say that she has been cancer-free for twelve years. “We don’t always have a choice of
the situations we face, but we do have a choice how we handle them! We all will face trials; it is how we handle them that shows true character.”
After going through it herself, Karla chose to get her eyes off of herself and do something that would benefit others. She talked to her On- cologists and found that there was a need for financial assistance for cancer patients. To help alleviate this, The Cancer Support and Resource Foundation Inc was founded. Over the past 12 years, the all-volunteer organization has raised funding for families and patients battling cancer who needed support for gas, food, medications, wigs, and more. The foundation also provides emotional and spiritual support.
Karla couldn’t have accomplished what she or the Foundation has if it wasn’t for her family and wonderful friends. She feels it also takes very caring communities who desire to give their time and resources. “It has been an honor and privilege to meet so many wonderful, courageous patients and caregivers who help make me a better person and make me keep thinking, even when donations are hard to find, that even if we raise $500 that would be several tanks of gas, or a decent wig, etc.”
Through cancer, Karla was able to overcome a lot of fear. Even having the courage to sing! Now, after everything, one of her ultimate goals is to sing at the Grand Ole Opry! We are waiting for those tickets to go on sale!
For more information on The Cancer Support & Resource Foundation, email CSRF@gmail.com.