DonnieYance.com

Over the past 30 years, the world has seen an increase in the rates of cancer in patients younger than 50. Many physicians and scientists around the world have joined in the great detective story to untangle the causes of this complex medical mystery.   

Since the pandemic began, oncologists have been noticing a disturbing rise in cancer cases, including rare cancers among younger adults. Early data from national sources and some large cancer institutions also suggests that there has been an increase in aggressive late-stage cancers. 

“We started noticing some very unusual patterns,” said Kashyap Patel from Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates. Patel and his colleagues have seen a 20% to 30% increase in new patients, multiple patients with several different cancers, couples and siblings developing cancers within months of each other, and patients relapsing after years of remission.¹ 

How St. Francis Inspired My Faith Journey

I always find it hard to describe my personal faith because there is so much to it. I was raised Roman Catholic, studied and learned from all the great religions, became a Third Order Franciscan in 1983 in the Eastern Byzantine Rite, and lived in an Eastern Rite Franciscan monastery studying to be a monk for almost three years. More recently, I have embraced a spiritual lifestyle practice called Mussar based in Judaism, and currently, I might say I am still Catholic but with some of the Jewish faith interwoven. At my core, I am a human spirit trying to be a better version of myself, bringing love and goodness to our troubled world. The rest – well, is truly a mystery.

By Donnie Yance

John Coltrane (1926-1967) was not just a jazz saxophonist; he was a musical pioneer, a spiritual seeker, and an inspiration to countless musicians and listeners. As someone who has immersed myself in his entire discography and studied numerous books about his life, I feel compelled to share the profound impact Coltrane has had on me both musically and spiritually.