April Leung

Well, I have been needing to update you on my diagnosis! It is good news. Well, still bad, but better than the doctor originally thought, how about that? 


At first they thought it was like the worst kind of brain tumor, but it turns out to be a Grade 3 (not quite as aggressive) and it is called



                                       Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma

It is not the neurons growing, it is the supporting cells,the oligodendrocytes.  And, instead of just a year or so, -- maybe there are 5- 10 years for me. Or Jesus will make me all better.

And, they found DNA deletions which means that it will be more responsive to the chemo pills. And, they said, before I take the chemo pill each time, I take an anti-nausea pill, and so I shouldn’t be so sick.

I will meet with my neurosurgeon Dr. Matthew Hunt and the follow-up doctor, Dr. Trusheim (the one who will be with me for the long-haul), and my nurse Katie, on Monday July 2, 2012. I can ask more questions then. It will be up at the University of MN.

(I now have a new nurse, Natalie.)

Did I do something bad, and that is why this thing started growing in my brain? No -- this kind of tumor just happens. You can be so careful, and you just get it anyway.  But I do want you to know that I have been and will continue to be careful with my diet. Avoiding the artificial ingredients like partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil, nitrites, artificial sweetener, sodium benzoate, MSG etc. etc.  And that stuff is found in a lot of foods, but I’ve been trying to be careful for years.

Could God have stopped it? Yes, yes, yes.

If He heals me, of course that is great! But meanwhile,whatever happens, He is going to use it, for something.

I am going to use the time God has given me, to do something important. You know, when you may be dying, people listen to you more. I don’t know yet how I’m going to proceed, but I know what area. I’d love to talk to anyone who wants to be involved. And, I can be involved until I’m 55, 60 or who knows, even 95. Jesus can heal me!

OK. So the bottom message is one of hope and life.

In our family, we have always talked of how God saves us. God is holy and loving; people are not. No one has followed God's ways every day. Which means that no one deserves to be in God's new heaven and earth in eternity. Everyone's future after death would be in the place where Satan gets sent, alone and without God forever. BUT, God is too loving to leave us without a way to be saved from that. He made a way for us to be made clean in His sight so that we can be close to him. God sent His Son Jesus to earth and Jesus lived a pure life. (He’s the only One who could do that.) Then -- in our place, Jesus died for us on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins. We couldn’t pay the penalty except by going to Hell, but Jesus paid the penalty that he didn't deserve -- for us! Then he came back to life, which shows that he conquered death and sin! What a person needs to do is trust in what Jesus has done. Then Jesus saves that person. And that person, out of gratitude and honor, then desires to live according to Jesus' ways.

I'm so glad that I heard of that wonderful news long ago, so I know that whether I die from a brain tumor (or I could have been hit by a truck, like anyone else!) or if I die when I’m 100 like my gramma did -- I will be with the Lord. While I’m here, I need to be honoring and serving Jesus. All of us need to be honoring Jesus all of the time. I just see it a little more urgently now.  That’s the bottom line and anyone reading this who needs to talk about it -- please call me at 952-898-4974 or email me at xibeifa@gmail.com.  I’d love to hear from you!!