Praying for Health.

Our Nov. 17 cover story on faith and healing resonated with lots of readers. An oncologist wrote, "Many recoveries cannot be explained." An atheist credited not God but "the skill of my doctors." One reader asked, "Why would God heal only some?" Others offered their own versions of "spirituality."

Here's to Your Health

We in traditional medicine need to acknowledge and embrace the healing power of spirituality in providing consolation and comfort during life's difficult journeys ("Faith and Healing," Nov. 17). As a professor of medical oncology and as a board-certified physician in hospice medicine and end-of-life issues, I have for more than 30 years seen patients with far-advanced illnesses, and I can clearly document, as can numerous physicians, that there are many whose recovery cannot be explained by traditional medical interventions. Several clinicians have seen the CT scans, the biopsy reports and the follow-up analyses that show the disease has simply disappeared or its rate of growth has slowed for reasons that we cannot explain. Most of my cancer patients acknowledge that spirituality and a belief in a "higher power" are the source of tremendous peace and comfort during troublesome times.

Edward T. Creagan, M.D., Professor

Mayo Clinic Medical School

Rochester, Minnesota

As a spiritual but nonreligious person, I don't understand how religion may interfere negatively with the current medical system, as some contend. A belief system may not cure disease, but there are benefits to including faith as part of the healing process. Since the true relationship between medicine and faith may never be understood, acknowledgment of a patient's beliefs may start to ensure a holistic approach to health care and a person's mental, spiritual and physical well-being.