“There are still families that are hurting. It is important for us to love on them.”

Matt Charbonneau
Special to Spur Ottawa

The fight against childhood cancer just grew stronger in the Ottawa area, giving families and advocates alike further hope and encouragement. One Way Ministries (OWM) has adopted the Miracle Marnie Foundation as part of its platform, helping commemorate September as the International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

“It was an easy decision to make,” says Richard Long, director of Love Ottawa, an outreach branch of OWM. “We feel God wants His people to reach out to others in their greatest need.”

Such people include Thomas Geniole and his family, who created the Miracle Marnie Foundation to assist those coping with childhood cancer, while also lobbying for further research funding and programs.

“We’re bringing the gospel into the darkness of childhood cancer,” Geniole says.

At age 2, Marnie was diagnosed with a form of rare and fast-growing tumors. She is the first patient in Canada to survive this cancer. Photo courtesy of Thomas Geniole.

Geniole started Miracle Marnie Foundation with his wife, Becky, in October of 2017, following the cancer battle of their daughter Marnie. At age 2, Marnie was diagnosed with embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMR), a form of rare and fast-growing tumors formed in the brain and spinal cord that most commonly occur in young children.

“It’s all to the glory of the Lord that Marnie is still alive,” says Geniole, adding that Marnie, now 5, is the first patient in Canada and one of only seven in the world to survive ETMR.

While Marnie has been cancer-free since March of 2017, Geniole wishes to support others affected by childhood cancer.

“Our family has been impacted by God’s amazing grace,” he says. “There are still families that are hurting. It is important for us to love on them.”

Marnie, now 5, is the first patient in Canada and one of only seven in the world to survive ETMR. Photo courtesy of Thomas Geniole.

Long calls Geniole a “natural evangelist” whose personality and determination prove to be very effective when pushing for action.

“I’m always impressed at how he gets through doors,” says Long, noting Geniole’s work with government officials, medical staff, corporate sponsors, and celebrities in raising awareness for the fight against childhood cancer. “He has an enthusiasm for the Lord coming from a deep place of gratitude for what God has done in his life.”

In addition to lobbying for improved medical treatments and research funding, the Miracle Marnie Foundation has raised more than $100,000 in donations to help cancer research and families dealing with childhood cancer.

“We’re mobilizing the Church around the families of children who get diagnosed,” Geniole explains.

“Cancer can be a really deep valley for people. It’s God’s heart and desire that we join in this work.”

Long says Love Ottawa will be able to help by matching up local churches with families needing various services during their battle with cancer. Church communities will provide volunteer assistance with tasks such as lawn maintenance, snow removal, and collecting gift cards for gas and groceries.

“That’s something we can bring quickly to the partnership,” Long says. “Cancer can be a really deep valley for people. It’s God’s heart and desire that we join in this work.”

Geniole says the work with Love Ottawa will simply reinforce the holistic approach his foundation takes in displaying faith.

“God is love and our foundation is founded on love. We show the love of Jesus through everything we do.”