Michael and Karen had only been Medi-Share members for a few months when medical tragedy struck their household and tested their faith. As they were reeling from the diagnosis, God used the Medi-Share community — and the strength of Michael’s previous testimony — to reveal His presence and goodness in their lives.
Michael says his story begins in college, where he had become known for a double life. He publicly claimed to be a Christian, but his routine was filled with drinking, pornography, and immorality. During that time, a brother in Christ challenged his hypocrisy, and God clearly was at work. Michael surrendered wholeheartedly to the Lord, and He changed Michael’s life as only He can.
Fast forward to 2015. Michael and his wife Karen found themselves looking at options for healthcare for themselves and their two sons. As followers of Jesus, the couple was drawn to Medi-Share for its biblical foundation, and looking back, they see God’s providence guiding their choice.
“I was skeptical,” Michael says, in reference to the non-traditional sharing model. Everything looked promising on paper, but it’s another thing to trust the system in practice.
Just months later, Michael and Karen faced a trial that would put that trust to the test. Michael was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer, a shock for the two of them. His doctor immediately put him on a rigorous treatment plan of chemotherapy and radiation. Within five weeks, Michael went from 200 pounds to a mere 120 pounds, as the aggressive cancer treatment took a toll on his body. He was too weak to eat or even speak.
“I could feel my body deteriorating,” he says. “And I said, ‘God I know this is part of it. It’s okay. But I really need to know You’re here.’”
During radiation, Michael said that he was reminded of God’s work in his life previously, how He had redeemed him back in college, and how He was still with Micheal during treatment. When Michael was at his weakest, he truly felt God the strongest.
“My testimony prepared me for that wave [of suffering] when it hit,” Michael says.
And God showed Himself faithful by drawing Michael and Karen to Medi-Share at just the right time. According to membership guidelines, cancer diagnoses, treatments, and medications are all eligible for sharing. That means that after the family’s annual household portion is met, all medical bills will be shared by the community. Members who face cancer are asked to have their doctors notify Medi-Share as soon as possible. After Medi-Share found out about Michael’s treatment plan, a representative from Medi-Share's Care Management team reached out to chat.
“Here’s where the rubber meets the road,” Karen recalls thinking. Would this phone call reveal some loophole in the plan? Or would Medi-Share come through for them in the way they were promised?
Michael remembers exactly what he heard on the other end of the line that day, and it was nothing about money or bills. Just a reminder that he wasn’t in this alone.
“They called and said, ‘Hey, we know you’re going through treatment. We just wanted to call and pray for you.’” He adds, “And it just rocked my world.”
At Medi-Share, it’s common to pray with all members whenever they call in. But when members are faced with major medical diagnoses, like Michael was, team representatives make it a practice to proactively reach out with prayer and support. It’s one way to remind our members that we are a Christ-centered community, not just a company. And for Michael, it was a tangible way to remember that God was there, just as he had asked.
“It was a blessing,” Karen says. “Medi-Share was a blessing.”
Today the treatment center hands out Michael’s number to its patients. “I’m able to go in there and say, ‘It’s gonna be bad, but it’s part of you’re story. If I can get through it, you can get through it.’ I couldn’t put a price tag on that. My darkest point in my life has become my shining light. It has become a place where I can give back.”
We praise the Lord for his healing work in Michael’s life, spiritually and physically, and we’re so grateful that he, Karen, and their boys are a part of our Medi-Share community.
Melissa Richeson is a freelance writer and editor based in Central Florida. Her work has been featured in places like The Washington Post, Florida Today,...