Five Miracles

My name is Charlie Kroeger.  I'm now 61 years old and I have been diagnosed with five different cancers over a 25 year period of time —colon cancer, melanoma, renal (kidney) cancer, prostate cancer, and chronic lymphatic leukemia. I didn’t survive by chance; It took a stubborn will to live, the unshakable love of my family, and what I know in my bones was divine intervention. Cancer is a dangerous thief—it robs you of energy, future plans, and the promise of healthy tomorrow. But for me, it also uncovered strength I didn’t know I had, guided by faith and a refusal to die.  

 

Without Faith in God, there are no Miracles

I didn’t beat cancer five times alone. From the start, God placed the right people in my path—surgeons with steady hands, innovators who dared to defy the odds, and a family who would not let me give up. This isn’t about choosing faith over science; it’s about fusing them with grit. When the system said “no,” I leaned on a higher “yes” and kept searching.

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The Weight of the Challenge

Imagine living most of your adult life with the interruption of five separate cancer diagnosis —that each 10-minute doctor’s visit feels like a whisper in a hurricane. Then you’re sitting in a chemo chair, poison dripping into your veins, or laying on a radiation or a surgeons table betting your life on people who never experienced a similar existence. Then, after all that, showing up for work and explaining to people that you're ok; putting on what you think is a brave face to your family and friends even though they probably know better; yearning for a day that feels similar to the life you had prior to the diagnosis.  I’ve walked that tightrope five times. Here’s how it unfolded:

 

Age 36: Colon Cancer
A colon resection, appendectomy, and six months of chemo—5-FU, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin. The drugs worked, but they carved me hollow, leaving a shadow of who I’d been.  Since then, nothing tastes quite the same, and nothing feels quite the same because the cure damaged nerve endings; yes, I live with neuropathy.

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Age 40: Melanoma
A small blessing—caught early, sliced out fast. I thought I’d escaped. I was wrong.

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Age 53: Kidney & Prostate Cancer

Blood in my urine led to a partial nephrectomy of my left kidney, then just a few months later, a radical prostatectomy.  But it didn't end there; My PSA kept rising which led to five years of various treatments; radiation, lots of chemotherapy, surgeries, immunotherapy and chemical castration. Nothing held it back. Then the verdict: “Two years to live.”

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The Final Blow: Leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.  The doctors said not to worry about it because that wasn't going to kill me...the prostate cancer was the death sentence. I was out of moves—or so they thought.

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Family: My Rock

Cancer doesn’t just hit you; it affects everyone you love. My wife, Cara, my daughters, and my son didn’t just stand by—they carried me. A death sentence for Dad shatters “normal” for a family. Cara became my warrior advocate—researching, pushing and questioning doctors, holding me up when I couldn’t stand. You need that someone—a spouse, a friend, anyone—who fights for you when you’re too weak to lift the gloves.

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The Turning Point

With time running out, I refused to surrender. Beyond the search algorithms and the doubters, I found an Integrative Oncology Practice in Scottsdale, Arizona led by Dr. Nathan Goodyear, Dr. Walter Kim, Dr. Miranda LaBant and their team didn’t hand me empty hope—they gave me a plan. Four months later, I walked out cancer-free. It wasn’t luck; it was a lifeline I chased down with everything I had.

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Money: A major hurdle

Cancer drains more than your body—it guts your finances. Work fades, bills stack up like a second disease. But faith stepped in again. My church, friends, even strangers rallied because I let them into my story. People want to help—you just have to tell them you’re fighting to win. No wall’s too high when you’ve got a crowd lifting you over.

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I’m Still North of the Grass

Now I coach newly diagnosed patients and sometimes speak at events because I’ve lived that gut-punch—the fear, the mixed advice, the loneliness of a ticking clock and the forever anxiety of a possible recurrence.

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Four truths stand out

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Know that your life’s on the line—because it is.

Find your people; cures don’t grow in isolation.

Cling to hope, even when the stats say you’re done.

Grow your faith in God, because when you feel completely spent you can always pray for healing.

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A Hand Extended

If you’re facing a complex cancer diagnosis, remember: You’re not a number. You’re not powerless. My story proves miracles happen—in whispered prayers, in places you’d least expect. Reach out, you're not alone.