Igor had a 3% chance of survival: “I understood that God had saved me”

By Christmas 2020, Igor was again alone and broke. "It was so painful to be alone at that time," he admits. "It was the day before Christmas, and everyone was celebrating with their families while mine was far away. I was seized with great sadness. I told myself that God had abandoned me," he admits. But Igor eventually found a job and finally got a taste of security. "The situation of not having enough money taught me a lesson: to appreciate what I already have," he says. 

But just when Igor thought he was out of the woods, a few months later he was hit hard by illness. Afflicted by very painful aches, Igor was diagnosed with sciatica, then a hernia. "The attacks of pain became more frequent and more intense," he recalls. "The first time, I cried in pain. I remember 48 hours of constant pain."

Unfortunately, it wasn't just a hernia or sciatica. A new and much more alarming diagnosis was made: a malignant tumor measuring over 6 centimeters. Igor's chance of survival was estimated at between 3% and 5%.

The treatment did nothing. On the contrary, Igor's health seemed to be deteriorating day by day. A vicious circle was set in motion. "The chemotherapy severely damaged my intestines. I would go to sleep and wake up in unthinkable pain every day. I found myself in a situation where I hadn't eaten for several days, because every meal caused such pain that I couldn't swallow anything at all," says Igor. This time, Igor couldn’t see a way out. He was plagued by suicidal thoughts, until the day he decided to go to Mass. 

"I sat on a bench, started singing with the people. And at one point I started to cry as I had never cried in my life," Igor recalls. "The woman next to me gave me tissues. I felt as if all the pain I was holding inside me was starting to leave me. Then I heard a sermon on humility that spoke to me so much. I felt better than ever, safe, supported..."

The next day, Igor's medical check-up announced very positive results. Every day, the young man felt better and better, not only physically but also mentally. No cancer cells remained in his body. 

"I realized that God had simply saved me," says Igor. "He gave me the hope that I had lost. I'm in remission now. And I hope to be healthy for the rest of my life. I know the sins I commit, but I’m taking action to fight them, and I’m getting stronger every day. I no longer have any suicidal thoughts." He has found God and wants to continue to get to know him better, which he does by going to Mass more and more often.