Team Hezekiah

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover."

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, "Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; indeed, I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.'"

Then Isaiah said, "Prepare a poultice of figs." They did so and applied it, and he recovered.

-2 Kings 20:1-7

The Relay For Life of Tacoma has an amazing team called Team Hezekiah. Named for the story above, it's the family team of Tom Mosich. In a similar way to the story above, he was diagnosed with cancer in 1991, and asked God for more time...and he was given it.

Tom was a past chairman of the event, who left behind big shoes to fill for the following chairs. Personally, he was someone who I could always count on to tell me his opinion of how I was doing as chair, or how our event was doing overall. I loved that.

Earlier this year, he received the St. George Medal from ACS, the Society's highest award for volunteerism. Tom was interviewed for the national 20th anniversary promo video for Relay, and he said, "My goal is to make it another year, to survive to walk another Survivor's Lap." He was a cancer survivor for fourteen years.

Tom passed away last night from lung cancer.

If ever there was a time to resolve to find the cure, this is it. The 2006 Relay For Life is six months, two days away. For those of us who live to see another day, there is no time like the present to fund and find the cure.