By Stan Friedman<\/p>\n
STILLWATER, MN (July 25, 2007) \u2013 Eight-year-old Amanda Daniels began her fourth round of chemotherapy at Children\u2019s Hospital in St. Paul on Tuesday afternoon, several hours after the appointed time. Her mother, Jacqueline, was frustrated. The process takes three days, but the sooner it starts, the sooner the patient can go home.
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\nAmanda wasn\u2019t fazed, however. \u201cWhat difference does it make? I\u2019m going to be here anyway,\u201d the girl told her mom and went back to playing.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s always been like that. She\u2019s amazing,\u201d says her grandmother, Sue Daniels.<\/p>\n
![\"Amanda\"](\"http:\/\/www.covchurch.org\/uploads\/zC\/Sn\/zCSnNx_MUjaLCGi5VxjRXQ\/Amanda.jpg\")
The entire family attends Bethany Covenant Church. Amanda, who has been active in the congregation\u2019s children\u2019s programs, inspires the people around her. She also typifies the faith of a family that has suffered its share of tragedy.<\/p>\n
Tragic times began with Sue\u2019s 57-year-old husband, who she says had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since he returned from Vietnam. In January, he barged into his house and ran upstairs, where he held Amanda\u2019s twin sister, Ashley, at knifepoint. He was killed by police after he refused to release her.<\/p>\n
Then, just months later, doctors diagnosed Amanda with Stage IV Ewings sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.<\/p>\n
Jacqueline had taken Amanda to see a doctor when the girl complained that her back hurt. Her mother was concerned because Amanda never complains about anything.<\/p>\n
Amanda has dealt with the cancer and the chemotherapy \u2013 she is receiving double doses — with determination. As doctors explained test results to her family, Amanda looked at them and asked, \u201cWhy are you looking so sad? I\u2019m going to be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amanda\u2019s faith is more than confidence, says Sue, noting how her granddaughter adapted dialogue from the movie, \u201cThe Miracle of the Cards.\u201d The film tells the story of a young cancer patient who receives get-well cards from around the world. At one point in the film, Sue says, the boy declares, \u201cI am master of my body\u201d and that all the cancer in his body will be gone.<\/p>\n
On one particular day, Amanda\u2019s white blood cell count was near zero and she was feeling too weak for almost any activity. Sue suggested she rest. Then Amanda, recalling the line from the film (which she had watched several times), made her own declaration: \u201cGod is the master of my body, and all bad things in my body are going to be gone.\u201d She then went outside to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was amazing that she would change \u2018I am master of my body\u2019 to \u2018God is master of my body,\u2019 \u201d Sue says. Yet she is not surprised by Amanda\u2019s tenacity. \u201cI have 10 grandchildren and she\u2019s the livest wire of all of them,\u201d Sue says.<\/p>\n
Sue praises the church for the way they have cared for the family through all of the tragedies. \u201cThey have been our rock,\u201d she says. One woman in the congregation sends a card to Amanda every day.<\/p>\n
On Friday, Bethany will hold a garage sale to help raise money for the family, whose medical bills have rapidly surpassed several hundred thousand dollars. It is the second fund-raising sale event in a week.<\/p>\n
Last Friday, the congregation raised $2,000 in a garage sale, but had to schedule the one this week because so many people from the community had donated, says Gayle Peters, who has organized the project. \u201cItems lined the entrance and halls, two fellowship halls and spilled outside onto the yard.\u201d She adds, \u201cThere is a semi-truck load of items left.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anyone wanting to contribute to the family can send checks in care of the church at 6490 Stillwater Blvd. Stillwater, MN, 55082. For more information, call the church at 651-439-9449.<\/p>\n