The Healing Journey

May 31, 2026

Getting Diagnosed with the “Big and Little C”

By Karen A. Avitabile

When you are young, it’s hard to imagine having cancer followed by two bouts of skin cancer. You hear that “Big C” diagnosis, and you instantly think you are going to die.

You then learn you have the “Little C,” and now you really begin to wonder if this is a curse. You tell people about your diagnosis and they look at you with sad eyes. They are probably secretly thinking to themselves, “better her than me.” Of course I get it. Why would anyone want to endure pain, surgery and months (and years) in treatment?

I’m going on 20 years free from the “Big C” disease. Also, it has been 10 years from my first bout with skin cancer and seven years since the second stint which required hours of surgery on my face and left me with two black eyes.

Sometimes, it is hard to remember what those times were like both physically and emotionally. I recall feeling powerless and alone. Getting sacramental anointing from my parish priest prior to surgeries and treatments proved fruitful and put me in the right frame of mind to be supported and connected to my faith and the Church.

But when struggling, it was my inner prayer to our God that offered personal strength through the long and recurring journeys ahead. I considered each of the three persons of the Trinity that are co-equal, co-eternal yet each unique.

The Father is the first person of the Holy Trinity and often attributed to creation. The Son is known as the Eternal Word: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus Christ. And the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom 5:5, CCC 125)

During difficult times, the Trinity is a good reminder that the resurrection is an act of God that signifies new life and complete victory over death. The divine power of God in three distinct persons is watching over us and protecting us at all times, even with a brush with death.
(Karen Avitabile is editor of the Catholic Transcript magazine. Today is the Feast of the Holy Trinity.)

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