Keith Black, MD on Fox News:
Multiple studies have shown that a positive attitude has led to better outcomes in different diseases, which Black credits with Erdman’s recovery and longevity.
“I think the fact that he’s a pastor is not lost on this story, and whether you’re religious or not, one thing to me has been very clear in dealing with cancer patients, and that is the patient attitude clearly affects hormonal levels in the body and their immune system— if someone is very worried or very negative, you get a release of chemicals in the body that are unhealthy for your body and immune system,” Black said. “Whether it was his belief that he would do better, belief that divine intervention would help him do better, or whether it was actually divine intervention, obviously we don’t know, but it’s very clear that attitude makes a real difference in outcome with cancer.”