“We all know patients who recover from their diseases and we acknowlege the powerful role that prayer played in their recovery. However, we know just as many patients who have died despite being surrounded by a huge network of prayer. And we express all kinds of excuses as to why prayer didn’t work”.by Anne Brower, The Washington Post, 2009

In May 2009, Colleen Hauser took her son, Daniel Hauser, and fled from Minnesota to avoid proven chemotherapy treatments. As a Hodgkins lymphoma tumor grew within his chest and began to put pressure on his internal organs, the Hauser family chose instead to undertake alternative remedies that they learned from the website of a convicted scam artist.

Daniel Hauser has finished his cancer treatment, and now, he is cancer-free.

Daniel gained national attention when he stopped treatment after one session in February and fled, citing his religious beliefs. After he returned, he underwent court-ordered chemo to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma, then started radiation therapy. Almost immediately, Daniel began responding to treatment. The Hauser family credited the alternative treatments he had continued taking, even though they did not work when he was taking them exclusively.

Benson, H., et al. 2006. Study of the therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer (STEP) in cardiac bypass patients: a multicenter randomized trial on uncertainty and certainty of receiving intercessory prayer. American Heart Journal 151: 934-42. That study showed that the patients who were the “targets” of intercessory prayer did no better, and that those patients who knew they were being prayed for did WORSE. [Comment from Jeff D' 3]

SOURCE [1] Minnesota teen who fled chemo now cancer-free AP November 07, 2009
[2] Former chemotherapy refugee, 13, now cancer-free: no thanks for doctors examiner.com November 8, 11:25 AM [3] Anne Brower Do Prayer Studies Work? The Washington Post, April 21, 2009