Grace L. Butler, PhD
She brings a message of hope, encouragement and love to those affected by cancer. A bridge between God and Colon Cancer, Grace Butler – scholar, educator, mother and Christian – is one of the most brilliant individuals of our generation.
Where there is inspiration and hope, there is Grace Butler. She is
living proof that recovery from any situation is not only possible, but
it is ours to have if we tap into our own personal power and inner
strength.
Butler is humble and understandably comfortable with taking what could
be deemed as an unfortunate situation and turning it into a ministry.
For her, it was and still is a matter of perspective. Instead of asking
the Creator why did he allow cancer to infiltrate her body, Butler
asked, “What is it you will have me do now that this has happened?”
Sick or well, Butler embodies perseverance, and it is her strength and
undying spirit that forces all of us to take a closer look at what
really matters. The simple things in life that we often take for
granted such as the sound of laughter, a little child playing in the
sandbox, a meal shared with a loved one; all of a sudden takes on new
meaning.
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Butler became a cancer survivor in
April 27, 1999. While ailing for about eight months, Butler was
admitted to the hospital on a Thursday morning for testing and
according to the gastroenterologist test results, nothing was found and
Butler would be discharged Monday. Inquisitive in nature, and though
happy with the good news, Butler replied, “You’ve looked at part of my
colon. I think you need to look at my entire colon.” The
gastroenterologist then replied mentioning two procedures and Butler
asked, “Which is the most precise.” He said, “The colonoscopy.” Butler
replied, “That is the one I want.” She meekly and quietly persisted
because she knew her own body and that intuitive spirit proved to be
right, it was indeed a positive diagnosis.
“When the excruciating pain struck my body the week before hospital
admission, my thoughts focused on ulcer, appendicitis, abdominal pain
etc. Colon never entered my mind, at least not at that time. In as much
as I am not a medical doctor, those were the areas of illness that my mind took me to. The miracle is this. I do not know the anatomy of the body; God used my voice to respond to the doctor. It was He who said look at my colon. I had been in the hospital since Thursday and had nothing by mouth since the day before. By Sunday, I was weak and not very alert. That is why I know my response was “God directed.” I never would have thought about colon on my own. Every time I think about having been discharged from the hospital with Stage III cancer lurking in my body I glorify God. He intervened and spared my life!”
After months of chemotherapy, it seemed as though everyone had a solution to prevent the cancer from resurfacing. Family and friends offered advice, “Eat this. Take that. Drink this.” And though Butler was appreciative, none of the advice improved her circumstances.
What Butler discovered is that belief and behavior go hand in hand. Her own intellectualism rescued her from chasing every piece of advice given to her.
As her health improved and as she gained her strength, she began to pursue her assignment that God had given her, “Go forth and serve my children who have been touched by cancer.” First, she turned to her church family and established the cancer ministry. Her Pastor, Kirbyjon Caldwell, and others welcomed this initiative and were very supportive of this effort. The LIFE Ministry at Windsor Village United Methodist Church, still serves those battling with cancer.
Looking past her own pain, Butler realized that there are hundreds of people in Harris County alone who do not have health insurance and who are medically undeserved. From this realization, her vision of an organization to help cancer patients was formed. Hope Through Grace, Inc., a 501(c)(3), has three specific goals, financial support to help cover the cost of screening for early detection of colon and lung cancer, survivorship support and cancer education programs to the larger community.
As an academician, Butler has two Music degrees from, one from Xavier University – Bachelor of Science, the other from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. – Masters of Music and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from New York University. She has taught in the New York public school system, accepted faculty appointments at The Ohio State University, The University of North Texas, Texas A&M University while settling in Houston to accept the position of Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs at the University of Houston. Currently, she holds the distinctive honor of Professor Emeritus at the University of Houston.
Butler has been bestowed with several honors and awards to this date, but none as honorable as finding purpose in any given situation. She is the recipient of the Partners in Courage Award and an American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Brest Cancer Community Partnership Grant. Recently she has been invited by the Chief of Resources and Training Review of the National Cancer Institute to accept a four year appointment to the National Cancer Institute Initial Review Group-Subcommittee A for Cancer Center reviews across the nation.
Her maxium, which she often shares with others, “Look for the blessings.” Throughout her journey with cancer and her survivorship, Butler recounts the many blessings that can be attributed to her battle with cancer. Dr. Butler attributes her success and healing to a deep abiding faith in God and a willingness to serve others, despite whatever situation life offers.
When adversity came to Butler, she chose to look outward, beyond self, and in doing so, she was able to find a renewed sense of hope and purpose. Life is beautiful, no matter what, and Butler continues to show us how to catapult ourselves to that divine level each and every day.
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