Grand Rapids author writes book about wife’s battle with cancer

In his book “Char’s Gift: A Remarkable Story of Hope Through the Storms of Life,” Grand Rapids author Steve Harryman shares the journey he shared alongside his late wife Char.

On Easter Sunday in 1995, Char suffered a grand mal seizure, followed by two more. An MRI revealed that the seizures were a result of a malignant tumor the size of a golf ball.

As she was wheeled into surgery, Char told her husband, “Keep trusting.” Doctors gave Char two years to live. Harryman said “Keep trusting” became a mantra and served to guide them during their darkest moments and propel them forward in faith.

Harryman details on early on in her cancer journey, Char struggled with the reality of her diagnosis until she began to channel her energy into deepening her relationship with God and focusing on the needs of others, which she did for the 24 years after her diagnosis.

“With all her struggles, with all her many battles against cancer, with all her perseverance and hope in Christ — Char was one of the most inspiring women I’ve ever met,” said Joni Eareckson Tada, author, Christian stateswoman, and global leader in disability advocacy.

Harryman, in addition to an award-winning writer, videographer and photographer, is the founder and president of Hope Through the Storm Ministries, a Christian faith-based organization devoted to bringing hope and encouragement to people facing serious illness and disability.

The book is available from numerous online retailers, and information about the book can be found on Harryman’s website.