What can bring comfort to chemotherapy patients as they undergo their treatments?

10-year-old Sophie Enderton of Niagara County, New York has implemented a plan for “chemo comfort.”  Her motivation is her grandfather, Terry, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in October 2021.  He explained his treatments to Sophie and what the patients have to endure.

Sophie determined that she wanted to prepare “chemo comfort bags” for cancer patients.  With the help of her family, Sophie put together 10 crocheted bags filled with items such as blankets, small pillows, games, word searches, cozy socks and mitts.  In December 2021, Sophie and her family donated the bags to chemo patients at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York.  This is the same hospital where her grandfather received treatments.

“My husband and I are so proud that Sophie wanted to give back,” Sophie’s mother, Jillian Enderton, told Fox News Digital, in a phone interview.  “She saw others struggling, and she wanted to be a change and help them.”

Sadly, Sophie’s grandfather passed away in December 2021.  But Sophie desires to continue to prepare the “chemo comfort bags” in his honor and for the benefit of those who are going through the treatments.

"Sophie and her grandpa were super close, and I think this helps her to stay close to him now that he's passed away," Jillian said.

Currently, Sophie has a goal of delivering 20 bags to pediatric and adult cancer patients by the end of March – in honor of her grandfather’s birthday. *

“She saw others struggling, and she wanted to help them.”  Isn’t that wonderful?

Compassion has been defined as “your hurt in my heart.”  Kindness is compassion in action.  Sophie’s kind compassion reflects the love that Christ has for those who struggle with sin – and that’s all of us (Romans 3:23).

In the book of Hebrews, Christians find these words of comfort: “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NIV).

Jesus Christ is that great High Priest.  He understands what we go through, and He knows how to help.  In fact, He provided the perfect remedy for our sin problem: He paid the price for our redemption by dying on the cross for us.  “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24 NIV).

God will save from sin and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Won’t YOU entrust your life to the One who knows how to help and can ultimately save you?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “10-year-old makes chemo comfort bags for patients after seeing grandfather fight cancer” by Cortney Moore, www.foxnews.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org