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| Thursday, 17 November 2011 16:37 |
Seleccao support for Carlos MartinsMidfielder's son requires bone marrow donor If any further proof were needed that the Portugal squad are more firmly united than ever, then it has materialised in the form of the support shown to Carlos Martins, who is currently coping with the severe illness of his son, Gustavo, who turns 3 today.
Martins, the combative midfielder who is playing at Spanish side Granada on loan from Benfica this season, had Tuesday's 6-2 win against Bosnia dedicated to him by the entire squad following the final whistle, and by Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo during his post-match interview. Martins, who received a great reception from the Estadio da Luz when he was sent on for the final six minutes by Paulo Bento, has revealed that his son Gustavo is suffering from a bone marrow condition, and that a donor is urgently required. Speaking on national television last night, Martins and his wife Monica confirmed that their blood types were not compatible, and appealed for any people willing to donate to come forward, and potentially "help my son and all the other people looking for a donor." In a statement released on Wednesday, the Seleccao (as well as former Portuguese international Simao) reiterated their support for Martins and his family:  "Yesterday we managed an important victory for Portugal. Unfortunately it was not as joyful a day as we had hoped because our Seleccao team-mate Carlos Martins needs the aid of all the Portuguese population to help overcome the illness of his son. We all have to unite and together, donate blood to see if a compatible donor can be found so we can overcome this obstacle in the same way we do in football: together and in a team. Visit our centres (in Portugal) in the north http://www.chnorte.min-saude.pt/ , centre http://www.histocentro.pt/ and south http://www.chsul.pt/ " Jorge Jesus also opened his press conference this afternoon with a message of support for Martins, stating that "we at Benfica, coaching staff, players, everybody, are available to come to the aid of Gustavo, and participate in any initiatives that could help." To find out how and where to register, visit the Vamos Ajudar o Gustavo Facebook page. Ben Shave & Tom Kundert |
Ben
We are expected to believe that you reach the conclusion that there is no God by you engaging your brain and applying critical reasoning. Yet your writing style is one of an illiterate 14 year old. To convince someone that you are an intellectual you should at least pretend to write in a coherent manner employing correct grammar. Try using capital letters at the beginning of sentences, proper punctuation and sentences that containing a single coherent thought.
Lastly if you are going to list someone as being an atheist you should make sure that they are indeed atheists. To save you some time, Franklin was a Deist not an Atheist.
I feel sorry for you and the path you've taken but maybe one day when God comes calling.. you'll see the light and turn yourself around before its too late.
danny i did wish my best for the martins family. if i had the extra money and time lying around i would fly myself to portugal and see if i could possibly be a donor. its very rare that neither parents match for a donor and its a shame. im sure either of them would trade places with their child and i feel their pain. my niece died in her fathers arms. there is no greater pain in the world than losing your child. and there are no blessing that any imaginary god can give to ease the pain. not a thousand blessing not a million. its simple really your gods books claim that he has the power to ease all suffering. its in there you should read it. the fact of the matter is your god is either incompitent, evil, or imaginary...take your pick
@Nick, just respect the people's views dont need get emotional lol, us Portuguese are religious people lol
Sooo we have faith, Forca Gustavo!!
For the rest of us religious folks myself included hopeful a donor will be found and Gustavo will be able to make a recovery.
cheers
Though it can be very difficult to understand or agree with God's purpose at times, science and reason is not all there is in this world and there exists within every human being the knowledge that we are created in the image of a God who is good by nature. Science and reason have their place, but there is no salvation in them from anything. Not from hurt or suffering or injustice of any kind. No comfort from the pain of losing those who are closest to us. Anger at God doesn't change the human condition in any way and our condition is this: we are fallen and need God and must rely on Him even when there seems to be no hope. If God is somehow responsible for all of the suffering in the world, then is He not also responsible for the good things as well?
Science is merely the methodology we employ to understand our natural world, and reason is the way in which our minds harness and apply this knowledge, but neither one can provide the answers to life's biggest mysteries. Neither one is the foundational truth upon which all of reality exists.
Giving up on God will in the end only compound misery by removing from your life the one definite sense of purpose and moral truth. There is no hope of anything in a strictly naturalistic ideology, only a life filled with pain and suffering, a natural death, and a return to nothingness.
God Bless
Nick I am sorry for your loss..
I too lost my older sister who died young.. and she was a stellar woman who gave the shirt off her back to help many. She was diagnosed at such an early age with breast cancer and was given two months to live. Having given birth recently to a lovely girl.. she battled hard.. she was in remission for 6 years which usually puts you in the clear.. and after 10 years it came back and consumed her.
She is the toughest person I ever knew and with tears in my eyes I can say anyone that never met her was at a loss.
Her funeral was attended by thousands.. I was very honoured to have been her brother.. and I carried her in my arms to the hospital as she was dying and I held her hand till the end as the toxic yellow tears streamed down her face.
While we were leaving the funeral home on the way to church.. the parking lot wasn't moving because of the conjestion of people there.. I simply asked God.. if he would care for her now that I couldn't and as I looked in the sky he answered in only a way he could.. two super sonic jet plumes shaped in a cross in such a small space.. for air fans like me sheer impossible.. miraculous.. with no scientific proof.. an answer that only I could understand and the phenomena lasted for over an hour as we were stuck there trying to get out of the parking lot.
God answered me.. and proceeded to show me great miracles in that time off from work.. too many to detail here.
I have suffered some and he has always in the end provided me some light.. it can take some time.. but it always comes.
This for me is Hell.. this existence is to make us appreciate the After Life.. we have to work through our challenges.. and being a caring person means that you will be burdened with more pain. But for most like my sister... who suffered immensely it meant a VIP Pass to leave early.
My sisters sentence was lightened in time as I am sure your nieces was.. the best always leave too early.
People like you and I have to work harder and suffer a bit more to receive our pardon, sorry.
But the goal is the After Life and not the world we live in.
Just my take.
God bless
Everyone in my family, including my mom's family, prayed everyday for a miracle. My mother's parents were vacationing on the Azorean island of Graciosa and they prayed continuously at the local chapel of "nossa senhora da ajuda". Well after a few days the doctors told us that my grandfather had an extremely small chance of survival, but he needed an extremely dangerous emergency surgery a few days after the previous one.
Well, my grandfather survived. He was paralyzed on the whole left side of his body and unable to get out of bed or even talk. Now just a couple of months later, he is walking and moving around almost perfectly. He can't drive, but the recuperation has been incredible! The doctors couldn't explain it.
Sorry for the long story, but miracles do happen.
Little Gustavo will be in my prayers. I hope he will be be alright.
Nick, We can easily debate this point you made but this is not the site to be debating religion.
Let everyone believe in what they want to believe in.