One Young Cancer Survivor Gets a Miracle and Gives Back

In a world filled with countless challenges and adversities, the story of Bryce Newman stands out as a remarkable testament to resilience, faith, and the unwavering human spirit. Few young people can claim to have experienced the healing touch of God, even fewer can say they've conquered a life-threatening illness, and far fewer still can proudly declare that they've established a foundation to support others facing similar medical battles. Bryce Newman, however, can lay claim to all three extraordinary achievements, and he's not yet reached his 25th birthday.

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Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
9/11/2023 (8 months ago)

Published in Living Faith

Keywords: Bryce Newman, cancer, survivor, God, miracle, Catholic

Bryce Newman's journey began with the promise of a thriving baseball career, a sport he loved and excelled in. At 15 years old, he was on the verge of representing Team USA San Diego in a prestigious international tournament in Japan when his life took an abrupt and harrowing turn. Seemingly out of nowhere, he started experiencing excruciating headaches, causing him to miss practices â€" a rarity for this dedicated athlete.

Medical scans revealed a devastating diagnosis: medulloblastoma, an aggressive and fast-growing form of brain cancer. Simultaneously, he was told that he needed emergency surgery within six hours. Bryce's response to this shocking news was nothing short of courageous: "Sew me up. I have a plane to catch. I've got to get back on the team with my teammates."

The battle that lay ahead was arduous and filled with countless challenges. It involved multiple surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, some of which left Bryce wheelchair-bound. The odds were not in his favor, and doctors gave him a grim prognosis. However, Bryce and his family refused to give in to despair.

The turning point in Bryce's battle against cancer came in an unexpected place: Manchester Stadium at Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego. As depicted in a now-famous photograph, the entire school community â€" students, faculty, and staff â€" gathered to pray for Bryce's healing. It was during this moment of collective prayer that Bryce felt a divine presence and an inexplicable warmth coursing through him. He described it as, "like when you take clothes out of the dryer." Bryce believed that this was God healing him.

With newfound hope and faith, Bryce's family decided to seek experimental treatment for him in Florida. Astonishingly, when the results of his scans from Florida arrived back in San Diego, they revealed that the tumor had disappeared entirely. Bryce was cancer-free.

In the wake of his miraculous healing, Bryce Newman felt compelled to give back. He founded the "Miracle at Manchester Foundation," named after the prayer session at his high school that he believes played a pivotal role in his recovery. The foundation's mission is to "connect every hospitalized child with their friends, family, and school, enabling them to cope with the separation during long-term treatment for cancer."

One of the foundation's key initiatives is to distribute iPads to pediatric cancer patients, providing them with entertainment and stimulation during extended hospital stays. Bryce's inspiration for this initiative stemmed from his own experience in the hospital, where he noticed a lack of entertainment options for older kids. The foundation has already partnered with several hospitals to make this vision a reality.

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Bryce's remarkable story has even reached the silver screen, with the release of the major motion picture "Miracle at Manchester." The film, starring Eddie McClintock and Dean Cain, pays tribute to Bryce's journey and his foundation's mission to support young cancer patients.

Despite his extraordinary achievements, Bryce Newman remains remarkably humble. He acknowledges that he may not be the one to end cancer but is determined to alleviate the boredom and isolation that young patients experience during their hospital stays.