Q&A Home > S > Serious Illness

• Recently, I found out some news about my friend that has been troubling me very much. She was diagnosed with a serious illness earlier this year. She has the first stage of this disease now. I am the only person she has told, thus far. Her family and Confession Father do not know yet. She has been undergoing treatment for 6 months and two kinds of treatments have not succeeded, so she will soon be put on a third type. She passes out without any warning about 2 to 3 times every week for an hour or two at a time. Her doctor says this is a normal symptom of her illness and recommended her to a therapist who she sees on a weekly basis. My friend asked me to not tell anyone about this issue, not even her priest. She is worried about telling her priest because he may either tell her family or the news may spread. The reason she does not want to tell her family is because they are already dealing with many other issues. Should I keep this information to myself and continue to pray for her or should I tell her priest, even though she has told me not to do so? I feel it is wrong for her to undergo something like this without telling anyone who is close to her and in the faith to guide and help her. At the same time, I am not sure if it is right to break her trust. I am struggling with worry and fear about the impact this disease may have on her life and if it will progress. I pray every day that God will strengthen my faith and to trust in Him, but still deal with some anxiety about this matter.