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BABIES 

Kara and Brian Perroni welcomed Theodore "Theo" Henry on 9/22/2026

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NEW

Alyssa and Drew Carden (Hudson)

Updated 9/23/26

Hudson's appointment on Friday revealed that Hudson has a retinal detachment that has been there for a long time. They saw a pediatric retinal specialist on Tuesday. He is scheduled for surgery on Monday. The surgery has a 30%-80% success rate with hopefully most (but probably not all) vision restored. Pray that surgery goes well and for Hudson's vision to be restored. Pray that Alyssa and Drew will have peace and continue trusting the Lord.

9/17/26

Hudson (8) suddenly lost vision in his left eye. This was discovered at a routine vision check, and they are unsure how long he has been unable to see. It is believed to be an infection in his optic nerve, and they don’t know if vision will be restored. Hudson has an emergency appointment at TCH tomorrow at 8 am. Alyssa and Drew are doing their best to give it all to the Lord but are very worried and overwhelmed. Please pray that Hudson’s vision will be miraculously restored. Pray that Alyssa and Drew will have peace to trust God and not feel any guilt that they did not catch it. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and for clear direction following tomorrow’s appointment.

Staff: Becca, Lunden

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UPDATED 

Annie and Ryan Whitmire (West)

Updated 9/23/26

West's surgery on Friday went well, and they were able to do everything they needed to. West will likely be in the hospital recovering until Friday (9/25). After initially having a good recovery, West started vomiting a lot. They did a CT scan last night that showed an obstruction. They put the NG tube back into his stomach. They hope that the obstruction is corrected today and that they can keep moving forward. If not, he will need a more serious IV line to get nutrients through since he really hasn't eaten since Thursday. Pray that the obstruction would clear, and that he would be able to start eating solid food again. Continue to pray that there will be no nerve damage and no infection.

7/28/26

West just turned 1 and has a tethered spinal cord and egg-sized tumor on his tailbone. The plan is to get admitted at Texas Children's on Thursday 9/17, surgery on Friday 9/18, with a tentative discharge date of Friday 9/25. They are relieved to have a date scheduled but at the same time there is anxiousness that comes with the impending surgery date, a multiple hour surgery, and the week long stint in the hospital that will result from it. West also needs to stay healthy in order to have surgery, which is difficult with two older siblings in school. The neurosurgeon's recommendation was to release the tethered spinal cord during this surgery. It is not in the same spot where they are going in for the tumor, unfortunately, so it’s another wound to heal. However, she felt ok about doing it all in one go. Prayers for a successful surgery, a benign tumor and total healing for West. Pray that God will give Ryan and Annie a deep sense of peace as they face a lot of uncertainty. 

Staff/Elder: Annie, Fritz 

Luke Threadgill, 

Updated 9/17/26

Luke’s follow up with Texas Childrens Pulmonary team went well! His lungs sounded great! Luke will continue the inhaler through January 2027. Assuming he stays healthy with no other pulmonary issues, they may look to take him off the inhaler then. Big praise to God and answered prayers! The prevailing thought right now is that his lungs just got overwhelmed with four respiratory viruses which wrecked his lungs back in July. The inhaler seems to be putting out the fire/inflammation in his lungs. Pray for continued strength and healing.

8/5/26

Luke was sick with RSV a few weeks ago and hasn't been able to fully recover. They took him to the hospital in the middle of the night yesterday and were initially told he would need a ventilator. His breathing rate was able to come down after light sedation and breathing treatment, praise God. He was recovering in the ICU as they worked to wean him. He was put on an inhaler and steroid to try to reduce the inflammation and strengthen his lungs and will follow up with the pulmonologist on September 16th. They are happy to be home and thankful for the prayers. The Threadgills are praising God that Luke has been great and his healthy/chubby self since Paige started staying at home. Please pray over Luke's upcoming appointment. Pray for clear guidance and a plan for Luke!

Staff/Elder: Amy, Mimi, Wes 

Vance Smith's sister, Aly Damiani

Updated 9/21/26

Aly finished 6 rounds of chemo and had scans done 2 weeks ago. Her tumor had shrunk 80% and no signs of cancer in her lungs or lymph nodes so very good results. There is still cancer in her breast so she will do 6 more rounds of chemo starting Thursday. Pray that treatment would be effective and that God would continue to sustain them.

5/20/26

Aly has been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. She is 34 years old with a 3 year old and almost 1 year old.  She did immune therapy treatments to prep for chemo.  In July, Aly started chemo and has been experiencing fatigue as a result. The doctors told her she has two years to live. The family's spirits are very low. She went to California and is working with an integrated oncologist there. After three treatments, the breast cancer markers they are tracking have gone down significantly. Some of her early blood work came back positive, and the oncologist believes the tumor shrunk 40-50%. According to the signatera test, the tumor DNA in her blood went from 200 to 400 to 0.10. She will do two more rounds of chemo and then do CT scans to see the latest prognosis. They are flooded with good and bad thoughts, and the chemo is starting to take a toll on Aly's body and spirit. She has days where it's hard to get out of bed because of the side effects. Her husband had to shave her head last weekend after losing most of her hair, which was very emotional for Aly. Please be praying for God to sustain them, for the treatment to be effective, that God would provide energy and rest, and for a miracle. Please pray that they would remember to pray first before reacting to anything. They are trying to avoid that mindset that they can be tough and handle everything on their own. Pray that they continue to trust God.

Staff/Elder: Stacie, Matt

Ana (Perez) and Hunter Howard

Updated 9/22/26

Ana has completed four chemo treatments and has her first scan on Thursday. She is hoping the scan goes well. Pray for clear direction and peace following this week's scan. Pray that Ana would continue to trust the Lord.

6/2/26

Ana is 28 and got married on June 13th after being diagnosed with agressive stage 4 cancer. They believe it started as rectal cancer and spread to her peritoneum, ovaries, and they also saw another tumor in her colon. They removed her ovaries and put in a colostomy bag that can be reversed if chemo is successful. Ana started a clinical trial of chemo with immunotherapy on July 8th. Chemo was scheduled to be every 2 weeks with a CT scan at 8 weeks to see if it is working. In June, the CT scan showed that the tumors had slightly grown. Unfortunately, Ana experienced many delays and did not respond well to treatment. She had to be hospitalized for a severe side effect of the medication called myocarditis that damaged her heart muscle. Doctors determined that she is no longer able to receive the immunotherapy treatment. The scan after her first treatment didn’t show any improvement and showed some growth of the cancer. After another delay, Ana got her second round of chemo on 8/14. She just had nausea and fatigue as side effects! She is officially off the clinical trial, which is good, and will just be doing the FOLFIRI. Ana's bloodwork in August showed very low Troponin level, which is a big praise! Round three and four went well. She has a follow up with the myocarditis doctor and met with the breast center for her BRCA 2 checkup. She will have an MRI next week for that, which is just a check up. Please pray that the Lord would provide peace and strength as Ana continues treatment.

Staff/Elder: Daniel, Parker, Mimi, Anna 

Jessica Marshall's mom

Updated 9/22/26

Praise God, Jessica’s mom is doing well! After having a tough go of it following surgery, she had a minor corrective surgery and seems to have turned a corner from the depression she was struggling with. She’s coming to town next week and they’re excited at how well she seems to be doing now. Pray for her continued healing and recovery.

10/29/25

Jessica's mom was diagnosed with Stage 3 anal cancer in September. The chemo and radiation were hard on her, but she was able to head home mid-November. The treatment did initially shrink the tumor, but then it grew back to where it was. They saw a new specialist in Feb 2026 and started 5 treatments of brachytherapy. After those treatments they saw that it shrunk a little, and her PET scan confirmed the cancer didn't spread. The tumor did push up against her vaginal wall causing a fissure in her urethra. She had surgery on July 7th to remove the tumor, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, anus, and rectum. They were thankful they didn't have to remove the urethra and that the surgery went better than expected. She has a long road of recovery ahead. Please pray for God's nearness in all of this, for doctor's wisdom, and for Jessica's mom's healing. After spending 5 days in the ICU and being in the hospital a week longer than expected, they are very thankful she is home! Doctors said they got all the cancer! Pray for her mentally and physically as she adjusts to an ostomy bag and has a catheter for a few more weeks. Her recovery is about 2-3 months. Today they are rejoicing that she can sit normally, which she hasn't been able to do in almost a year. Her mom seems to be doing much better! Her mental health is improving which is an another big praise. Continued prayers for her healing and recovery.

Staff/Elder: Stacie, Amy, Travis 

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ONGOING

Blake Cargill's mom, Barbara

Updated 9/15/26

Barbara is through the initial round of chemo with the worst side effect. She will go in for treatment weekly from now until December, which is a lot to manage. She is definitely feeling the isolation wearing on her, but the end is in sight! Pray for continued strength during the next several weeks of weekly treatments.

7/21/26

Blake Cargill's mom, Barbara, has stage 2 breast cancer that spread to her lymph nodes. She will do 6 months of chemo. Once chemo is through she’ll have a surgery followed by radiation for a couple months. She has been struggling with the chemo. She has one more round next week of the worst treatment and will hopefully get slightly "better" once that is over. She is struggling with the isolation and is not able to be around friends or family for almost a week after each treatment. This time period should get shorter with the next round, but it will still be there. Please pray for doctor's wisdom, for her body to respond well to the chemo, for them to continue feeling support from their community, and endurance for the long road ahead. 

Staff/Elder: Amy, Fritz 

Alyssa Riedel

Updated 9/16/26

Alyssa has started "targeted endocrine therapy,” which is the plan MDA suggests for stage IV cancer patients, with the hope that the current cancer no longer spreads. She is grateful that, so far, the meds have zero to few side effects. Her next scan is October 27, and Alyssa’s prayer is that not only has the cancer not grown, but that it has shrunk. If the cancer continues to spread, Alyssa asks for prayers for wisdom to determine whether to pursue alternative treatments outside of MDA. She also asks for continued prayer for her parents and brothers, who are still struggling with the diagnosis and a lack of a treatment plan that would include chemo, radiation, or surgery.

7/22/26

Alyssa was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer. They also discovered cancerous lesions on her liver, showing that the cancer has metastasized. This discovery led to the cancellation of her existing treatment plan. Since she is Stage 4, they no longer offer chemo, radiation, or surgery. This is confusing and frustrating for Alyssa, but she trusts the doctors at MDA. She will take two pills a day, which is "targeted endocrine therapy." The hope for this new treatment plan is that the cancer does not grow any more than it already has. Her prayer is that the medication helps extend her life. She knows that God is in control and is praying this will be effective for a very long time. Alyssa has drastically changed her eating habits. It gives her a sense that she is doing something to fight her cancer, even though she’s been told there’s no treatment plan. She’s dealing with a lot of new realities, but one that she didn’t anticipate was her parents’ depression upon hearing her diagnosis. Please pray for her physical and mental strength, for her faith to be strong, and for the best possible outcome on the biomarkers for treatment effectiveness. Please pray that she can learn how to manage all of the layers of emotions and that she continues to lean on those around her for support.

Staff/Elder: Lincee, Kyle

Owen Escarra, son of Jeff and Shannon (former GBC folks, now live in New Orleans)

Updated 9/15/26

New tumors were discovered on Owen’s spine during their last trip to Houston, precluding him from the Texas Children's trial. After a flurry of doctor's appointments and searches, they have spent the last week in Seattle for testing. Praise God for Owen’s pain-free status, patience with this chaotic life, and flexible family to care for the other children in imminent notice—and prayer warriors! Pray for Owen’s T cells harvested and treated in Seattle to convert to the CAR-T cells needed to continue this trial and heal him. Pray for radiation of his new tumors (began Monday 9/14) to efficiently and effectively reduce them with little side effects.

1/20/26

Six year old Owen has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor following a hospitalization at the beginning of January. After an initial surgery and hospital stay, he is back at home with his family. He started his first of 33 daily sessions of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) January 28th. He finished radiation on March 16th. In May they were able to see that the tumor shrunk by 36%, and started a clinical trial. They praise God for his growing faith in Jesus, his joyful attitude whatever the day may bring, and his increasing tenderness. While in Houston for Owen's clinical trial, they were in a serious car accident. Shannon (mom) suffered some major injuries requiring a lot of stitches on her face. Please continue to pray that God would miraculously heal Owen and continue sustaining their family. Pray for peace and strength for the Escarras as they navigate medical decisions for Owen and care for their three other sons.

Staff/Elder: Wes

Tiffany Maxian

Updated 9/1/26

There is a bit of good news. Tiffany discovered recently that a relative (believe her brother) has the same blood type and he indicated he would be willing to be the donor. There are a lot of steps to take to verify that he is a match, but she was very excited about this. Please pray that this would be in God's plan, and she would have patience throughout this process.

6/2/26

Tiffany has cirrhosis due to family history, and found out 2 years ago she needed a liver transplant. Please pray she would be matched with a living donor with O blood type soon. She is working with Methodist's transplant program, and they think she makes the perfect candidate. Pray she would have peace in the waiting. With her liver unable to absorb protein, she is losing muscle, her skin is thin, and she is constantly fatigued.  She has a 10 year old and 7 year old, and is thankful for an awesome support system. Pray for her and her family as they navigate this, and for God to feel near. 

Staff/Elder: Lucas

Julia Fox and Alex Brewer

Updated 8/19/26

The Brewers do not yet have full clarity on what’s going on. They removed the medicine they thought caused the first seizure. They are a month away from their next appointment and are watching/waiting. There are several avenues available based on the scans. One of them is that he has a tumor in brain that’s hormonal and that medicine could potentially be causing these seizures. Alex is not able to drive right now (3 months) so logistics are challenging. Pray for support in getting from West U to downtown and back home each day while unable to drive. They’re navigating it well, but some breathing room would be helpful. They’re very thankful it’s only been 2 episodes and are thankful his jaw and ear have healed well.

6/3/26

Julia and Alex are married with two young boys. Alex has had a series of health problems, and had a Grand Mal seizure this weekend. He has a fractured jaw and needed surgery to repair his ear. They determined that the seizure was caused by some medication he was taking. Alex had another seizure in July. He was at work, and CPR had to be administered after he lost consciousness and stopped breathing. Please be praying they are able to figure out why this is happening, for the family to feel supported, for doctor's wisdom, a full recovery, that he is clear moving forward, and trust in the Lord.

Staff/Elder: Travis, Lucas

Abby Sonnefeld

Updated 8/19/26

Abby's mom had several scans on Tuesday (8/18), and the results came with some good news! All tumors have continued to shrink and there is no new growth. Her platelets have not recovered, but all other labs have. She is off treatment for another 3 months and will have a PET scan in November. Pray for continued stable cancer and for her platelets to recover so she can do chemo or other treatment later in the fall.

1/14/26

Several tumors have been found on Abby’s mom’s lungs. They have begun a very aggressive chemo treatment for the next 18 weeks. Prognosis indicated she has 2-3 years. After each chemo treatment, she was hospitalized for about a week. Chemo was then on pause in March because she got an infection and needed 35 days of antibiotics. They are waiting for her platelets to return to normal so she can begin blood thinners to treat a clot. In May, her anticipated chemo treatments were tabled because her platelet numbers were still too low. They got scans back and results show radiation has at least stopped further growth. They are pausing treatment for the next three months and will rescan and continue to watch bloodwork. Pray her immune system can remain strong and for this week of rest before going back for another round of chemo. Pray for Abby’s dad as primary caregiver and for Abby and her siblings to support in ways that are encouraging.

Staff/Elder: Ranelle, Fritz

Tricia Gittemeier’s dad, Rick Kruger

Updated 8/12/26

Rick is super private about it. It has all gone really well. He is in the radiation phase right now - 5 days a week for 4 weeks - with once a week chemo. He is over halfway done at this point. It’s starting to take a little toll, but nothing like the chemo did. He’s cheerful and active. So very grateful. Praying that the treatment will be successful and that he keeps his strength through the process.

3/3/26

This is somewhat sensitive as Rick's grandkids do not yet know - Rick was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer.  He had 6 rounds of treatment planned, follwed by a scan to see how things are working. He feels a solid ok, but definitely isn’t fully himself. He has gotten good reports all around and they are so thankful! He's now in a position where he will have to decide whether he wants to remove the bladder or move forward with radiation. He meets with radiology team on June 16th to discuss what that might look like, and get a better idea what the pros and cons are for each option. It's incredible news that he even gets to have the option of radiation! 

Staff/Elder: Fritz

Emily and Gage Espino, 7/22/26

**Ask that you please not share this prayer request ** Please pray for God’s comfort over Gage and Emily as they work through the painful process of moving towards divorce. Pray for His wisdom to guide the community supporting them, and for God’s hand over all decisions made. Pray for healing and restoration for the both of them and that they would find housing. 

Staff/Elder: Stacie, Wes, Fritz