Miraculous healing to devastating loss — “you are not alone” in the journey

Miraculously beating a terminal cancer diagnosis came at a devastating cost for couple Candace and Maureece Xuereb—the very treatments that saved them had rendered them unable to bear children. 

When Maureece and Candace were married in September 2019, little did they know how soon the “for better or worse” part of their vows would be tested.  

Six months after their honeymoon, Maureece developed a cough that wouldn’t go away. 

What began as a suspected Covid scare soon developed into a diagnosis beyond their worst nightmare; Maureece had stage four lung cancer. 

“I’ll never forget that day. We were just in pieces. We just could not believe it. We kept telling the doctor that he was wrong and that that can’t be happening,” Candace recalls. 

“But he gave us all the stats, the worst being there was only a 10 per cent survival rate.” 

Maureece immediately began a brutal series of chemotherapy and radiation, that lasted two years as the cancer continually spread throughout his body. 

Throughout their ordeal and despite the devastating toll, their faith remained a constant source of strength.  

“We had so many priests come to speak to him, we had oil from Jerusalem and relics from St Charbel and there was no way, and I say this again and again, that I would not even be standing here if it was not through my faith. It was my strength,” said Candace. 

A year later, their constant prayers and faith saw Maureece miraculously begin to gain weight and show signs of the cancer abating. 

“He started to eventually get back to his work, which was fantastic. I started then to also get back into work and we had to learn how to be a married couple.

“Now, keeping in mind, he was always on an immunotherapy drug that was keeping the cancer at bay, we were just enjoying the time we had,” said Candace.  

Maureece and Candace lived on this knife’s edge for the next two years, until the beginning of 2023 when his tri-monthly scan, delivered an unexpected diagnosis.  

“All his cancer had totally disappeared! It still gives us goosebumps. I mean, they could not believe it. The oncologist did not even think he would be here, so to see those results was beyond phenomenal. It was all our prayers answered!” Candace said. 

But years of keeping the cancer at bay with the use of the immunotherapy drugs meant they would be unable to have children.  

“We were in mourning. I had to seek counselling myself, mourning the loss of not being able to have kids, not being parents, knowing I may never be a mum,” said Candace. 

“I really struggled to understand. We have always tried to do the right thing, and accept everything that has come our way. But how could we not, be parents?” Candace explained. 

“So many parents in the secular world, drug users and abusers have children, it was a real struggle trying to get myself back up again.” 

Then two years ago the couple attended the “You Are Not Alone” retreat day for married couples without kids, facilitated by the Emmanuel Community with the support of the Life Marriage Family Team from the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation.  

It’s a day for couples who have been unable to have children due to infertility, miscarriage or still-birth and for those still hoping to conceive. 

“We were quite nervous because this is such a personal and vulnerable topic for us, but it gave us such a peace and such an acceptance,” Candace said.  

“Other couples going through the same pain gave us their own insights, which made us feel validated and accepted, you know— that this wasn’t just something we were living  individually or uniquely, that it was very much a connection of a wider community.” 

Maureece and Candace have attended the last two retreat days and have been asked to share their own journey at the next retreat at St Martha’s in Leichhardt on 19 October. 

As they begin their next journey towards foster parenting with the hopes of adopting, they want to share their message of hope with others.  

“We really want to share God’s message that even though they may have been dealt a hand that may not necessarily have been as they have planned, God does bring grace and blessings and happiness out of the worst circumstances.  

“We want to share our story, that we did suffer, we did struggle, but it’s all part of his plan and there’s still good and positive fruits to come out of this. You just have to have hope.” 

To register and for more info: www.trybooking.com/1183690