Prayer has helped family enjoy every day with son with brain cancer
Joey Jimenez, who has brain cancer, received chemotherapy from 2020 to 2021, but then his body stopped responding to the treatment.
A year ago he had a seizure. The 28-year-old Jimenez is now nonverbal and struggles with mobility. He’d already seen declines in his motor skills because of the cancerous tumor in his brain, but the seizure made matters worse.
His doctor suggested trial medications at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, but Jimenez didn’t want that. His mother Michelle Jimenez didn’t want to give up, but when she turned to prayer for guidance, she said God helped show her that it needed to be about his quality of life.
“So here's where we're at today, enjoying Joey every day,” Michelle Jimenez said.
The family is featured in the Statesman's Season for Caring program, which highlights the needs of local families and helps hundreds of others through nonprofit organizations. The Jimenezes were nominated by Hospice Austin.
Donations continue to be received through Jan. 31 for the current families and agencies.
Learn more:How to help families through the Statesman Season for Caring program
In that moment and many moments since her son's cancer diagnosis, faith served as Michelle Jimenez’s lifeline. Her mother instilled Catholicism in her from a young age, and countless statues and images of Jesus, Mary and saints adorn her dining room.
“As you grow up, your faith changes,” she said. “I started that journey with my husband's sickness. That's the only thing that got me through — having that faith. And then with Joey, it just grew even stronger.”
After the seizure, Michelle Jimenez called her parish and had a priest visit her unresponsive son. She said the priest gave Joey the Anointing of the Sick, a Catholic healing ceremony.
Read more:Season for Caring, Joey Jimenez: Son with brain cancer cared for family after father's death
“Within a couple of days — two to three days — Joey opened his eyes, and he started looking around,” she said. “And we would sit him up and, you know, those little baby steps.”
Joey Jimenez takes after his mother in having an unshakeable faith. He wears a saint’s bracelet he purchased with his mom on their trip to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio.
“He's never lost his faith, and if anything, it's absolutely gotten stronger,” Varnador said.
Joey Jimenez watches the rosary ceremony every morning while his mom makes breakfast or does laundry, and when she finally sits down, Joey replays the whole thing. They attend weekday mass, sitting and praying together until the church turns the lights off — and as they simply live and love each other every day.
“We're walking with God as well in this journey,” Michelle Jimenez said. “We're not left alone.”
The family would like help with bills, and a last trip to a beach or other retreat spot, as well as driving lessons for youngest son JonPaul.
To find out more about the Jimenez family or to donate an item on their wish list, contact Hospice Austin, 512-342-4726, hospiceaustin.org.
To donate:Use the form below or click here: https://statesmansfc.kimbia.com/statesmanseasonforcaring
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Season for Caring: Prayer has helped family enjoy every day with son with brain cancer
