Mark Penfold
Chaplain’s Wife, Robin Penfold, in Relay for Life
Dear Grace Brethren Friends and Supporters of the Eagle Commission,
As you know, these past twelve months have been challenging for me and Mark as we’ve had to rapidly come to grips with my cancer diagnosis, shift gears from moving back to Germany to a more “local” assignment for Mark and aggressively pursue surgeries, chemo, and radiation for me. God’s grace has been more than adequate to carry us to this point.
I’m still receiving a treatment called Herceptin. It is relatively new to the market and it targets the type of cancer cell that presented itself. A movie was actually made about the doctor at UCLA who made the discovery and pushed for its development. I am a direct beneficiary of those years of research which required serious funding, both from public and private sources.
My older sister and niece walked in the Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” in September on my behalf (and raised a tidy sum for the foundation in the process – thanks, Beth and Amy!!). My friends at the sports center where I used to work hosted a “Treadmill-a-thon” over a 24 hour period in November and raised over $3000 for the ACS. Now it’s my turn. I’ll be participating in the Relay for Life here in Williamsburg on May 29. I’m part of a team of ladies from this area who have been touched by cancer – either personally or by being by the side of a family member.
The purpose of the Relay for Life is to raise funds for the American Cancer Society as well as to honor those who have battled the disease. The ACS is the largest source of nonprofit, nongovernmental cancer research funding in the US. It has also funded 40 Nobel Prize-winning researchers.
The Williamsburg event will be held at a local high school track which will be lined with luminaria bags. They will represent the lives of our friends and family who have passed on, who are currently going through treatment or are survivors.
I have a good supply of luminaria bags which are available for a suggested minimum donation of $10 per bag. If you would like to participate, please make out a check to the American Cancer Society (those gifts are tax deductible) and mail it to me at the address below. (I have donation forms which I’ll fill out for each one of you and send it in with your check.) I will personally decorate each luminaria with a tag for “Robin’s Team”; they will represent the cheering section and prayer support I’ve had all this time.
Robin Penfold and "Hope"
So, what’s up with the sock monkey in the picture, you ask? She (“her” name is “Hope”) was given to me by Judy Galle (wife of retired Navy Chaplain, Jack Galle) after my surgery last May and has provided a good deal of humorous moments along the way. “Hope” participated in the Race for the Cure last fall with my sister and niece (her photo even appeared on the Susan G. Komen official website!) and has been to Germany for a visit with my younger sister. She perked up the clinic when I took her along for a chemo treatment and she’ll be with me on the Relay For Life walk as well.
As I’ve said many times before, I couldn’t have made it this far without God’s strength and the support of my family and friends all over the world. Priceless!
With love,
Robin Penfold
2800 Mockingbird Drive
Williamsburg, VA 23185
Email: armychapfam@hotmail.com
Note from Larry Chamberlain of the Eagle Commission: “Please send an email or card to Robin and let her know that you are praying for her and Mark. And please consider a donation for her participation in the Relay For Life!”
Chaplain Penfold was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel while serving in Iraq. Mark joined a unit already stationed in Iraq (Aviation) due to the early return of the previous unit chaplain. His tour was approximately 6 months. He returned with his unit to Fort Hood, Texas.
He has subsequently been given orders to be on the staff of the support command chaplain at Kaiserslautern, Germany. Robin has remained at their home in Virginia during this time. However, as of this writing, Robin is facing some health issues with breast cancer and will undergo surgery and treatments. As a result, he has been given a new assignment at Ft. Lee, Virginia, within commuting distance to their home in Williamsburg.
In a recent email, Mark writes the following, encouraging us to pray for Robin…
The year 2007 was a year of unplanned surprises since when I left Ft. Eustis and Virginia. I was on orders to go to one unit; however, upon arrival at Ft. Hood, I was reassigned to a different unit that had been in Iraq for 9 months already. I joined them in early August 2007. God provided me with good friends and great opportunities for ministry at Camp Taji and Robin was able to stay at our home in Williamsburg and see Matt off to Liberty University (he’s a pre-med major currently), and see John get out of the Army and start his job in the Washington DC area AND keep her job.
I returned to Ft. Hood, TX (from Iraq) on January 6th at about 10 a.m. in the morning. Robin had driven from Virginia and it was great to see her after our almost seven-month separation. After a short leave back home in Virginia, I returned to Ft. Hood for about 3 more months.
While I was in Iraq, I received an unexpected surprise about a 2008 summer assignment to Germany. Orders came in March and we began our preparations, to include routine physicals. It was during Robin’s visits that doctors discovered and diagnosed her with breast cancer that will require surgery and the other follow-on treatments.
The Army Chaplaincy has been incredibly responsive and helpful. My orders to Germany were revoked and I am now on orders to report to Ft. Lee, Virginia. It will be about an hour commute (one-way) but most of all, the assignment will allow me to be home as needed over the next months. We expect it to be a compassionate reassignment, which is usually a one-year assignment. That is what we hope for, because it will mean that Robin will be doing well and her cancer in remission.
As word has gotten out, we are thankful for the outpouring of love and concern. Christian friends around the world are praying. Thanks much in advance for your words of encouragement and prayers.
In the faith,
Mark
Email: mark.penfold@us.army.mil
John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Mark signs in to Ft. Lee on May 1 and Robin’s surgery is scheduled for May 12. Please pray for a full recovery and full remission.
