Social media can be a place where we showcase our worst, shallow selves. But it can also be a great place of connection and humanity and warmth and love. Look no further than the story of Wyatt Spann, a 3-year-old Alabama boy diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor in December 2018. Wyatt’s parents have spent almost every day of the past year sharing Facebook posts that document their son’s traumatic journey. There have been surgeries, and setbacks, and scares, and struggles. But there has also been an incredible outpouring of support from the Spanns’ hometown of Winfield and beyond. People who have never met the Spanns follow their story on Facebook. They organize fund-raisers to meet the family’s financial needs. They respond to Wyatt’s parents’ regular appeals and lift him up daily in prayer. That includes us, too. We’ve never met the Spanns, but we pray every day for Wyatt.
September is the month we’ve set aside for Childhood Cancer Awareness. It’s a time to remember Wyatt and so many others who are affected by this terrible disease. About 300,000 children across the world are diagnosed with cancer every year. That’s about 300,000 too many. So in this season of football and fall, stop for one minute. Say a prayer for all the families affected by childhood cancer. But don’t stop there. Pray for the healthcare providers who are taking care of these children. Pray for the researchers who are looking for cures. And pray for Wyatt, too.