Fact Check

Sam Bish Prayer Request

Prayers requested for Sam Bish, an 8-year-old with stage four osteosarcoma?

Published Aug. 27, 2009

Claim:

Claim:   Prayers are requested for Sam Bish, an 8-year-old with stage four osteosarcoma.


OUTDATED


Example:   [Collected via e-mail, August 2009]


Hi to all my friends and family,

I felt compelled to spread this story about son's best friend, Sam who is 8 (on the left in the photo above). He is in MAJOR need of Prayer. The following story is what his mother Cindy (we are in MOPS together) wrote today.
 


Our son Sam is a wonderful young man who is 8 years old. He will be 9 in January. He is going into the 3rd grade in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.

Sam had been having some pain in his right knee most of this summer (2009). As the pain increased we realized that

something might be wrong and we made appointment for him to see an Orthopedist on 8/10/09. At this doctors appointment an X-ray was done of Sam's leg/knee and it showed that there was a mass that the doctor believed to be cancerous.

Samuel went into the hospital just a few days later for a series of tests. He received a cat scan, MRI, and also a full body scan. Our family met with the pediatric oncologist the following day and Samuel was diagnosed with a type of cancer called Osteosarcoma (stage 4). The cancer is in his right knee and it has also spread to both of his lungs. This is an agressive type of cancer and it will be treated with agressive forms of chemo.

We are asking everyone to please lift up our litle boy Samuel Gordon Bish in prayer. We pray for healing!! We serve a mighty God and we know that HE can heal Sam if that is his will for Sam's life. Please be prayer warriors along with our family as Sam starts this very difficult journey in his young life.

Today's date is August 16th, 2009 and all this has happened in 6 days. His first appointment was on Monday the 10th and by Friday the 14th he was in the hospital getting his Chemo-port put in his chest and a biopsy done.

I figured if an animated woman walking around the world for cancer can get passed to millions, then so can this story.
 


PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING TO YOUR CONTACTS IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK!

SAM CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH PRAYERS.

WE PRAY FOR HEALING AND PEACE FOR HIS FAMILY ... There are also 2 younger sisters.


 

Origins:   This appeal for prayers and good thoughts for a stricken 8-year-old named Sam Bish began circulating on the Internet in mid-August 2009. More information about Sam was posted at the web site of the Westerville (Ohio) Christian Church:



Sam is 8 yrs old - a happy big brother of two little sisters. In early August Sam was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. His parents, Mike and Cindy, are grateful for all the love, support and prayers they have been receiving during this time. Let's help keep a smile on Sam's face. Let's help the Bish family know they have a second family they can count on - the family of God.

A page for Sam was established on the CaringBridge web site. According to a 2 September 2009 update posted there:



Sam is now into his 2nd day of 3rd grade. He seemed to enjoy being at school yesterday with all of his friends. I have posted some updated pictures on this Caring Bridge site- some from his buzz hair cutting party and some from his first day of school yesterday. PRAY FOR SAM!

However, August 2010 information about Sam was not encouraging:



In early August [2009] Sam was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. The cancer has spread to other areas in Sam's body. In October [2009], Sam's right leg was amputated to stop the spreading. The latest scan showed that the cancer has spread throughout his entire body. There is no plan for anymore chemo.

The CaringBridge site reported that nine-year-old Sam passed away on 20 August 2010.

Last updated:   20 August 2010

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.