VIDEO: Suffering from cancer? The Saint to call on is...

St. Peregrine Laziosi -- one of many saints that we can turn to in times of need and suffering. Despite his pains, sufferings and difficulties, he endured and turned to the Lord for healing and grace. Through his faithfulness, St. Peregrine turned his suffering into a means of proclaiming the Gospel. 

St. Peregrine (AD 1260-1345) is the patron saint of cancer patients and all illnesses. He was an Italian priest, and a member of the Friar Order Servants of Mary. His life included a conversion to the Faith at a young age, commitment to the vocation of service as a priest, serving the poor and even performing miracles. 

Later in his life he developed cancer in his right leg. A day before the surgery to amputate the leg, St. Peregrine dragged himself to the chapel before the crucifix where legend has it that Jesus descended from the cross and healed his leg. He was fully healed. He lived his life seeking to help all those in need. 

It is said that the scourge of cancer affects everyone, directly or indirectly, sooner or later. At this very moment, three people near and dear to us, including one of Walt's agents, the spouse of another, and Father Roman Galadza, for whom your prayers have been asked previously, are battling cancer. 

Please join us in asking St. Peregrine to intercede for them, for ourselves, and our loved ones. May they and we realize the healing grace of God’s love. Amen.

VIDEO: Good news about Father Roman Galadza

At the beginning of this month, Walt asked you to pray for Father Roman Galadza, the Pastor of Saint Elias Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Brampton ON. I'm happy to share this health update. 

Father Roman has transitioned from a "crisis" to more of a steady pace of care and treatment. He underwent five rounds of radiation therapy and expects the benefits — less pain! — to continue for the next while. He has also seen specialists in pain management and of course the oncologists. The system is working as it should and Father is in great hands. 

Walt and Agent 78 are on their way to the Great No-longer-white North to visit Father Roman. We will not be the first! A couple of days ago, Father Roman had his own personal concert from the Fun in the Sun with the Angels and Saints campers. All his favourite tunes!! Here's a sample.

 

The whole Galadza family is extremely grateful for your support and prayers. They are a source of comfort and support. Please keep Father Roman in your prayers. They are being heard and answered!

Once again, the nanny state delivers us from evil

Here's one for the True Facts Department, as reported this weekend by AP via NPR. NPR is to the Paranoid States of America as the CBC is to Canada, except that they don't get funded directly by a leftist government. But their political stance is just the same as if they'd been paid. They sure do love Emperor Trudeau and all  his works, including this latest bit of statist nonsense.

Canada is poised to become the first country in the world to require that a warning be printed on every cigarette. 

The move builds on Canada's mandate to include graphic photo warnings on tobacco products' packaging, a policy that started an international trend when it was introduced two decades ago. 

"We need to address the concern that these messages may have lost their novelty, and to an extent we worry that they may have lost their impact as well," Minister of Mental Health and Addictions [Seriously. That's her title. Ed.] Carolyn Bennett said at a news conference Friday.

"Adding health warnings on individual tobacco products will help ensure that these essential messages reach people, including the youth who often access cigarettes one at a time in social situations, sidestepping the information printed on a package."

A consultation period for the proposed change is set to begin Saturday, and the government anticipates the changes coming into force in the latter half of 2023. While the exact messaging printed on cigarettes could change, Bennett said the current proposal is: "Poison in every puff." 

Bennett also revealed expanded warnings for cigarette packages that include a longer list of smoking's health effects, including stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and peripheral vascular disease. Canada has required the photo warnings since the turn of the millennium, but the images haven't been updated in a decade. 

Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society, said he hopes the warnings printed directly on cigarettes become popular internationally, just like the package warnings did. "This is going to set a world precedent," Cunningham said, adding no other country has implemented such regulations. He's hopeful that the warning will make a real difference. "It's a warning that you simply cannot ignore," Cunningham said. "It's going to reach every smoker, with every puff."

Smoking rates have been steadily falling over the years. The latest data from Statistics Canada, released last month, shows 10% of Canadians reported smoking regularly. The government is seeking to cut that rate in half by 2035. StatCan noted that roughly 11% Canadians 20 and older reported being current smokers, compared to just 4% of people aged 15 to 19.

This is a true story, not something made up by the Babylon Bee. Carolyn Bennett is a medical doctor by training, but apparently doesn't practice her profession very much, having given it up for politics in 1995. Such is her charisma and confidence that she has been shuffled through three (and counting) cabinet posts in Liberal governments, including Minister of State for Public Health, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and now Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Walt notes that Ms Bennett's annoouncement was made while Mr Socks was in California, engaging in acts of mutual admiration with Gov. Gavin Newsom. They agreed, inter alia, to work together to stop wildfires, although exactly how they would do so wasn't made clear. If Canucks were wondering where Mr Socks gets his nutbar ideas, now they know.

Fundraiser for Kathy Shaidle

Regular readers know that Blazing Cat Fur is one of Walt's favourite blogs, and the source of many good memes and photos reposted here. The mover and shaker behind BCF is Kathy Shaidle. She is one of the most incisive, witty, and fearless writers on the scene today, never shrinking back from standing up for freedom, even when the Left-fascist lynch mobs tear after her. Here's a photo of Kathy, taken some months ago in New York City, when she was in better health. 

Kathy doesn't look like that now. She is suffering ovarian cancer and is now in palliative care. She is still fighting hard and we hope she will be with us for as long as God allows. She is doing well and has homecare nurses and a doctor attending. 

This comes at great cost, only partially covered under Canada's socialized health care scheme. If you can help with a donation, Kathy and those who care for her would be greatly appreciative. Please click here to go to the "Kathy's Fundraiser" page on Blazing Cat Fur, and make this part of your Christmas giving. 

And please join us in prayer for Kathy and all the others -- including one near and dear to Walt -- battling cancer. Some will recover, some not, according to God's will. But God always hears the petitions of the faithful. The power of prayer is great, sometime miraculous.

UPDATE ADDED 11/12/20: Walt is pleased to note that this post has had more click-throughs in one day than any we've put up in the past couple of months. I hope all those who go to BCF will feed the kitty! And if you're sending a message, please tell Kathy that Walt sent ya!

VIDEO: Alex Trebek reveals battle with pancreatic cancer

Canadians are rightly proud of Alex Trebek, the host of the US-produced quiz show, Jeopardy!, since 1984. He doesn't make a big deal out of being a Cancuck from the hard-bitten mining town of Sudbury ON, but, unlike some frostbacks who've made it big in Tinseltown, he doesn't hide it either. His erudite but mild-mannered and wholesome persona has won him won him respect wherever the show is seen.

In his native land, he consistently ranks in near the top of "10 Most Trusted Canadians" polls. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 2017 and got his place on the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2006. South of the world's longest undefended border (TM) he has won five Emmy awards and earned the Daytime Emmy Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

Yesterday, following his principles of openness and honesty, he made a sad announcement on Jeopardy's YouTube channel. Here it is.



Stage 4 is the final stage of pancreatic cancer and generally means the disease has spread to other parts of the body, typically the liver, lungs or bones. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for Stage 4 pancreatic cancer is just three per cent. But M Trebek vowed that he's going to fight it! In the video he says, "With the love and support of my family and friends and with the help of your prayers also, I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease."

Besides, the 78-year-old quipped, he has to remain host of Jeopardy! for some time yet, because his new contract, signed in October, requires him to continue his role until 2022!

Walt, who regularly watches Jeopardy! to yell answers at his TV set [and to berate the contestants for their ignorance -- I've seen you! Ed.] wishes Alex many more years!

Footnote: Before finding fame and fortune in Hollywood, M Trebek worked for the Canadian Broadcorping Castration. One of his duties, in the late sixties, was to host a high school quiz show called Reach for the Top. It and he were parodied more than once on the award-winning Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV. Here's a sample, featuring Eugene Levy as "Alek", with contestants including the late John Candy, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Rick Moranis, Joe Flaherty and the late John Candy -- all of them Canucks except for the Yankee Flaherty who later became an honorary frostback, kind of... eh.