This is my Dive Buddy and good friend Hobie Brewer. While we were at Cozumel last week Hobie got a call from his wife to come home. I could not even imagine having the time of my life diving and finding out this horrible news.

Hobie has a little boy named Sammy. He is 7 months old and was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer. This specific liver cancer is so rare for children that only 1 or 2 cases are identified each year nationally.
 
On this Tuesday morning, June 23rd, little Sammy will undergo surgery and have half of his liver removed. If successful he will be on a morphine drip for 10 to 12 days and then enter directly to chemo. If he is able to successfully complete the chemo, he will more than likely abate the disease from entering his little brain and lungs and stand a much stronger chance of survival.
 
Sammy is very sick and needs a lot of prayers for him and his family. Since Feb his parents have taken him to doctors who said it was just "a hernia" and another doc said "it was gas". His parents had to fight with the doctors offices just to get appointments as doctors said that "they only see well babies." finally his parents took Sammy to a Charleston, WV area doctor and within a few days, little Sammy was finally correctly diagnosed. Diagnosis to surgery will be 8 days. so very fast once it was discovered. Charleston, WV docs said he more than likely developed the disease in the womb. So he was born with it, but went undetected.
 
I am beside myself with worry for the little fellow as he is so gravely ill. My friend Hobie was laid off from the coal mines from southern, WV and works part-time as a firefighter and as the firefighter teams rescue diver. It is very unfortunate and I ask that if everyone pray for little Sammy that he will recover and as well, please pray for his family to be delivered from this awful ordeal.
 
Please, with all your heart, send your prayer request to little baby Sammy located in Charleston, WV. Even if you are not sure if you believe in the power of prayer, or if you question your own spirituality, or if you feel silly. Please take a moment to ask God to heal little Sammy with all your earnestness. please, it must work. When all is said and done. God does and is listening.
 
Thanks so much and please pass this along,

Bill Stewart

Comments

charstew - 7/13/2009 8:37 PM Hobie is now on Dive Buddy and is writing updates on Sammy at his member page. Thanks for all of your support and prayers. I am always amazed of all of the wonderful people in the dive community and this web site. You can go to Hobie’s member page here: http://www.divebuddy.com/profile.aspx?MemID=12331

KyDiver - 7/03/2009 3:17 PM I will keep you and your family in my prayers and God will be with you. He is always listening and willing to help. Please keep us up to date. May God be with you. Trevor

tzeeryp - 7/02/2009 9:10 AM Hobie, Nobody deserves to suffer the pain of cancer, especially little children. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. God hears prayers and performs miracles every day. Keep the faith.

charstew - 6/30/2009 10:31 AM Hobie created a divebuddy profile:   http://www.divebuddy.com/profile.aspx?MemID=12331

pk - 6/30/2009 5:35 AM Sammy, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I know God is holding you in the hollow of His hands. Please keep us updated.

Josh18 - 6/30/2009 5:31 AM My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Please keep us updated.

MaryAnn - 6/30/2009 5:28 AM Sammy, I will keep you and your family in my daily prayers. There is power in prayer. God is listening, and He is holding you in his hands.

gexseven - 6/29/2009 7:06 PM My prayers will include the Brewers. The family has support in their time of need. God bless.

charstew - 6/29/2009 6:51 PM Sammy will start his Chemo today he is getting a trans fusion and fluids.

George1971 - 6/29/2009 12:18 PM My thoughts and prayers go out to little Sammy and his family. I lost my little brother and grandmother to cancer earlier this decade. As a father of a two year old myself, I can’t imagine what I’d be feeling if it was my little Joseph. I’m not very spiritual myself, but I do believe in God and his healing power. Please keep us all updated on little Sammy’s condition.

drifter12 - 6/29/2009 5:48 AM I am not a church goer or much into reliegion but do believe in God I was saddened by your story about this child. Its been awhile for me but I will pray for the little dive buddy - Maybe enough prayers will bring on a miracle ! Hang in there Sammy !

Joe65 - 6/29/2009 3:21 AM Faith, Hope, and Love, the greatest of these is Love. Prayer is very powerful and Im very glad to see so many coming together. I will pray for you, and your family. God Bless

MiamiAngel - 6/28/2009 10:15 PM Prayers for little Sammy, Hobie and their family. Angel

BlueOcean - 6/28/2009 10:07 PM I ‘m praying for you and your family. Keep the faith, God does great things.

RonSubmerged - 6/28/2009 9:02 PM We will keep Sammy in our thoughts and prayers. I live in Columbus and I hope that it is comfortable for you while he is being treated. Let me know if there is ANYTHING that you need. Ron

muddog357 - 6/28/2009 11:50 AM Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family.

Morjana - 6/28/2009 9:14 AM Dear Sammy, You may never know me but i lift my prayers to God to heal you from your disease. May God touch you with his powerful healing hands and bless your parents with strength so they may surpass this great ordeal. God is good! God Bless you. Morjana

DiveVibe - 6/27/2009 8:06 PM I had a friend go through this same thing last year, he traveled to a hospital near D.C. for treatment and had a favorable outcome. God bless, I’ll pray for you.

Greg - 6/27/2009 11:48 AM Please keep us all updated on the progress. Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family. Greg & Becky Davis

charstew - 6/25/2009 4:35 PM Update He went to Charleston, WV and they sent them up to Columbus, OH due to lack of experience on the part of the Doctor. Columbus admitted him and found out that the liver is worse that they had thought and now he will have to take 2 months of chemo therapy to try to reduce the size of the tumor before they attempt to operate. They want to take him to St. Jude but I don’t know if the doc will give them a referral. Currently Sammy’s parents are staying at the Ronald McDonald house in Columbus, OH. I am not sure if they will be staying up there for the chemo treatments. They had the option of returning Charleston, WV for this but would rather stay in Columbus. Ultimately they would go to St. Jude if they could.