Cancer Survivor Chris Lawrence Helps Families Find Hope

When Chris Lawrence was diagnosed with stage four ductal cancer at 37, he had just become a father and watched his mother battle glioblastoma. Ten years later, he's turned that pain into purpose.

Lawrence founded Hope Has Arrived in 2018, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to helping cancer patients navigate their fears. The organization offers stories, prayer support, and practical guidance from people who've walked the same difficult path.

Cancer has touched nearly every corner of Lawrence's family. His mother died from brain cancer last May. His father, Craig, received a stage four colon cancer diagnosis the same year and endured treatments alongside his wife of 56 years.

"It's made me more grateful for the time I have, especially to be there for my wife and my kids," says Chris. "But it has also motivated me to want to help others find hope."

The ministry's approach centers on listening without judgment. Charlie DeRidder, a retired VA hospice chaplain and board member, emphasizes that cancer patients don't need advice or quick fixes. They need someone willing to walk through the mess with them.

"People want to know how much you care and if you are willing to listen to them," DeRidder explains. A cancer diagnosis reprioritizes everything and forces patients to face their mortality head-on.

Hope Has Arrived provides more than optimism. The ministry offers what founder Lawrence calls "confident expectation" rooted in faith and supported by real stories from survivors.

Why This Inspires

Scientific advances mean 18.6 million Americans are now cancer survivors, more than 5 percent of the population. Each person represents countless moments of fear overcome, treatments endured, and hope sustained through impossible odds.

Lawrence's ministry helps families start difficult conversations about forgiveness, love, and even goodbye when necessary. The website hopeagainstcancer.org shares narratives that guide people through emotional reactions they'll face.

Craig Lawrence, Chris's father, now helps run the ministry despite his own ongoing battle. "As a human being, knowing all that I have learned and endured, how can I stand by and do nothing for the suffering?" he asks.

Lawrence will share his message at a free luncheon on May 8 at the Country Club of Sioux Falls. The presentation focuses on fighting the fears that come with a cancer diagnosis.

For the Lawrence family, cancer cut deep wounds but also revealed what matters most: being present for loved ones and offering light to others walking through darkness.