'I Would Appreciate Your Prayers;' Mark Hall, Lead Singer for Christian Band Casting Crowns, to Remove Kidney Due to Cancer
An explosion of prayers hit social media Thursday after Mark Hall, lead singer for popular contemporary Christian band Casting Crowns, asked fans for prayers then revealed he will be undergoing surgery this month to remove one of his kidneys in which doctors discovered a "solid mass" they are 90 percent sure is cancer.
"Hey Casting Crowns Family, I would appreciate your prayers," he began in a note posted to the band's website and social media accounts.
"Doctors found a solid mass in my right kidney about a week ago. They are 90% sure it's cancer and they are going to remove the entire kidney next Wednesday, March 11th. They believe the cancer is contained in the kidney, which is also a great hope. They will know more once it is out and Pathology can see it," he continued.
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"I'll be in recovery for a month or a little longer because of the surgery. Please pray for healing and for God's peace for my family. Praising Him in This Storm," Hall ended the appeal in a nod to one of his band's more popular songs "Praise You In This Storm".
Casting Crown's more than four million fans on Facebook, where the appeal included a photo of Hall and his family, reacted with thousands of likes and shares.
"You may not read this but I'm going to share you our story. My husband has MS. He fell which all MS patients do a lot. He bruised his side we went to ER to have x-ray only to find out he had a tumor on his kidney. Cancer!! We went had robotic surgery on a Thursday. We prayed before we went to surgery and after. The tumor was contained in kidney and God uses our story to tell people do not be afraid I am always with you. Praying for healing!" wrote fan Natalie Kennedy in a response that was liked nearly 5,000 times in less than 24 hours.
Chicago, Illinois radio station ClassicChristian247.com noted: "We pray that God guides the minds and hands of the doctors and medical team as they care for you. We pray for a full recovery! We pray for peace and comfort for you and your family, Mark. In Jesus name, amen!"
The seven-member Casting Crowns band composed entirely of youth pastors released their sixth studio album "Thrive" in January 2014.
"The idea of 'Thrive' came out of our student ministry. I've been a youth pastor for almost 22 years and it's still what I want to be when I grow up," Hall quipped in an interview highlighted on the band's website.
"The songs always really start out with what we're teaching, and for years I've been using Psalm 1 in showing them what a believer looks like. It says: 'Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.'"
