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Author Finds Hope in the Depths of Despair and Sends an Important Message about the Preventionand Treatment of Malignant Melanoma

Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada—Poignant and profoundly personal—What’s Next? A Search for Hopeis the narrative of a journey and the search for hope in the depths of despair. Diagnosed with malignant melanoma seven weeks after marrying Bonnie, “Pastor” George Priest shows faith and dignity with death. This is his story of strength and courage.

The combination of George’s superior faith and Bonnie’s medical background led to the story that recounts their quest for a cure and constant search for hope. Personal conversations between George and Bonnie bring to light the differences between religion and findinga true relationship with God, which they both express, isthe key to finding one’s true purpose and potential.

The couples’ medical experience is educational with an emphasis on prevention, detection, and treatment of malignant melanoma. The support of an expert team of physicians and staff, who specialize in melanoma, helped equip the couple for the battle that was ahead. The grief cycle is explained and reiterates the value of having a palliative care team when making end of life decisions. The compassionate physicians and team members helped the couple move through the grief of a terminal illness. The help of hospice and social workers in dealing with terminal illness was invaluable to their process. Surrounded by a loving family, relatives and friends, along with continual spiritual support gave George and Bonnie a sense of security and hope,even when they accepted the outcome was imminent.

Publisher’s website: http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/WhatsNext.html

About the Author:
Dr. Bonnie Priest is a native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, where she
graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Master’s degree in
Education. She received a Doctor of Education degree in Child and Youth
Studies from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Dr. Priest was a founding member of the New Brunswick Cardiology Technicians
Association and is currently a member of the American Counseling Association.
She is the founder of Positive Heart Living Inc.,and recently published a children’s book, Nancy and the
Nutrition Tree.

Searching for hope; Lots of local talent set to perform | Money raised from the jamboree will go to Campus Alpha and Positive Heart Living Inc.

The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton)

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Page: D1

Section: Life

Byline: LORI GALLAGHER gallagher.lori@dailygleaner.com

George Priest may have had his life cut short by malignant melanoma, but those who loved him will never forget the impact he had on their lives.

He will be honoured on Friday, Nov. 21 at the second annual Memorial George Priest Gospel Jamboree at Sunset Church.

The event brings together an array of local talent, including The Guiggeys plus The Weavers, Warren and Vanessa Brothers, Twila Estey, Bill LaPointe, Gerry Flowers, Gary Bell, Mercy, Richard Paul, Gospel Way and Lacy Schwien, the minister of music from Sunset Church.

And, in the spirit of the man it is for, it will be about more than wonderful music – it will also raise money to support the community through Campus Alpha and Positive Heart Living Inc.

The driving force behind the gospel jamboree is Bonnie Priest, who has countless cherished memories of her husband.

“People have to know about George Priest and his faith,” she says.

When she met him, she believed she had a lot of faith, but through him and his love, that has only grown.

Though their lives were interconnected for years, it was a long time before the couple really got to know one another.

“When I first got really involved in church, where I went to church, George led the worship.”

She was searching for answers about spirituality and God, she says, looking to find a balance in her life.

“In all the years he led worship, I never had a conversation with him other than ‘Hi.’”

Then in February 2004, she was invited to go to another church to hear a friend speak.

“I hadn’t seen George in 11 years. And I had never seen him out of a suit.”

When she walked in, a gentleman with grey hair was standing in the foyer dressed in jeans and cowboy boots. He said hello, but she didn’t recognize him.

“He sat behind me that night and when he started to sing, I started to cry,” remembers Bonnie Priest, adding that she’s not a crier.

“George was anointed. Other people can sing their heart out, but George sang right from his heart.”

Listening to him sing, she says, she could feel God.

They spoke after the service and got caught up, then two weeks later they went on their first date.

Both had been married before and neither one was planning on getting involved.

“But it was like it was meant to be. It was two lost souls that found each other in the midst of this crazy world.”

Talking about it still brings Bonnie Priest to tears.

In April 2004, he told her he wanted to marry her, in July they got engaged and they married on Oct. 22, 2004.

Before they were married, Bonnie Priest noticed a mole on George’s neck. He had it removed and sent for tests, then went to get the results on Dec. 8, 2004. Neither expected it to be a big deal.

“I didn’t even go into the doctor’s office with him when George got the results,” she says.

When he came out of the appointment and she asked how it went, he gave her the thumbs down sign. George Priest had malignant melanoma.

“Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive deadly cancer there is. It’s the fastest growing cancer, not only the prevalence of it, but once it gets in the system, there is no cure,” says Bonnie Priest.

That didn’t stop the couple from doing everything they could, though. They travelled to Ottawa to meet with a specialist there, eventually moving to Ontario soGeorge Priest could undergo radiation and chemotherapy.

The hope was to eventually send him to the states for another form of treatment, but he never got that chance.

Through it all, though, he stayed strong in his faith, continuing to sing and preach and design plans for his own church in Ontario.

During this period, the Priests also began working on a book together.

“I felt we were supposed to write a book to help other people understand malignant melanoma and how it could be prevented,” says Bonnie Priest.

“If he had had that (mole) off in the early stages, he wouldn’t have died.”

She began taping him every night, going way back to the beginning of how this started.

After he died, she wasn’t able to work on the book for a while, though she did finish it.

What’s Next? A Search for Hope by Bonnie Priest will be available at the gospel jamboree on Nov. 21.

“I want people to understand that there is always hope for people. Sometimes people walk away from their purpose in life, like George and I both did at times,” she says. “But you have to come back and find your purpose in order to be lined up with yourself and be balanced.”

George Priest’s life story is amazing, she says.

“He’s not just going to be remembered for his singing and his preaching, but for his ability to be selfless even during terminal illness.”

There were many moments when he could have simply given up, but he never did, says Bonnie Priest. “He never complained. … he was such a motivator of people.”

He spent time in palliative care in Ontario, but knowing the end was near, he wanted to move to the hospital in Fredericton, to be closer to his family and friends.

“He lived for almost a month (after returning to Fredericton). It was crazy the visitors in there,” she says.

“He woke up about 10 days before he died and said, ‘Bonnie, I want you to call all my boys in and I want you to call all family in because Jesus is calling me home. I can’t hold on any longer.’”

Before he died in May 2007, he had the opportunity to say a private goodbye to everyone he held dear. While he had told her he wanted her to go on with her life, she admits that after he died she went flat.

“I didn’t know if I could write that book. … I didn’t know how to keep going,” she says. “I wanted to be alone.”

Slowly she came back, though. One thing that helped her was putting together the first Memorial George Priest Gospel Jamboree that was held in November 2007.

“It was part of my healing. Grief is such a personal thing,” says Bonnie Priest. “It helped me move forward.”

After that, she began to work on the book again, finishing it in July 2008.

Now she’s looking forward to the second annual gospel jamboree on Nov. 21.

“This one I feel is more the heart of who George was. His goal in life was always to serve God and keep people’s hearts open,” she says. “Music is a form of praise, a form of worship, and George being that kind of person, this is a tribute to him and what he achieved in his life.”

The annual concerts, she says, will be an ongoing tribute to him and all he accomplished. The second annual Memorial George Priest Gospel Jamboree is being held at Sunset Church on Friday, Nov. 21 from 7-10 p.m.

Eternal Perks Coffee Shop will be open at 6:15 p.m. that evening. Tickets are $10 and are available at CJRI radio station, Cora’s, Sunset Church and Christian bookstores.

For more information, call Positive Heart Living at 458-8678.
© 2008 The Daily Gleaner ( Fredericton )