In every diocese there are people whose lives quietly bear witness to the strength of faith lived in community. Terry Ames is one of those people.
An Anglican in Algoma and a longtime member of the Church of the Ascension in Sudbury, Terry’s story is inseparable from the people who surrounded him during the most difficult season of his life. Diagnosed with cancer and, at one point, declared terminal, Terry is candid about the fact that survival was never something he faced alone.
In a recent conversation, Terry reflected on the extraordinary support he and his wife, Jennifer, received from their church family—support that was practical, spiritual, and deeply personal. Parishioners visited him during long hospital stays, prayed with him, organized fundraisers, and offered tangible signs of care that he still remembers today. “I still have the blankets they brought me,” he shared—simple gifts that carried enormous meaning during months of treatment.
That support extended beyond the parish. Terry also speaks with gratitude about the encouragement he received from Archbishop Anne Germond, whose pastoral presence affirmed for him that episcopal ministry is rooted in accompaniment and care. For Terry and his family, the Diocese of Algoma was not an abstraction or an institution at a distance—it was a community that showed up.
Out of that experience grew a desire to give back.
Soon after his recovery, Terry felt compelled to put his story into words. His first book, Beating Cancer: My Survival Guide, emerged directly from that season. Written not as a clinical manual but as a personal companion for others facing serious illness, the book shared Terry’s journey with honesty, humility, and hope. It also became an unexpected vehicle for generosity, raising funds to help families navigating the financial and emotional strain of cancer.
In 2011—the same year Terry was declared cancer-free—he and Jennifer established the Terry Ames Care Fund. The fund exists precisely because Terry knows how fragile life can become when illness disrupts income, routine, and stability. Administered through the health system, it provides direct, practical assistance to individuals and families—help with essentials, uncovered costs, and difficult gaps—so people can focus on healing rather than survival alone.
Terry’s most recent book, Living Your Best Life, builds on that foundation. While it carries forward many of the insights from his earlier writing, this second book reflects a widening horizon. It is written not only for those who are ill, but for anyone seeking to live with intention, resilience, and hope—before crisis arrives, during it, or beyond it. Terry is careful to describe himself not as an expert, but as someone who has walked the road and wants to share what helped him along the way.
As with his first book, 100% of the proceeds from Living Your Best Life support the Terry Ames Care Fund, extending care to families across northeastern Ontario. The book is one expression of Terry’s ongoing commitment to service—a commitment shaped by faith, sustained by community, and rooted in gratitude.
For the Diocese of Algoma, Terry’s story is a reminder of what the Church can be at its best: a place where faith is embodied through presence, where community becomes a lifeline, and where one person’s journey can become a source of hope for many others.
To learn more about Living Your Best Life and the work of the Terry Ames Care Fund, visit:
https://terryamescarefund.com/the-book/
This is one story among many in Algoma. In the months ahead, we hope to continue sharing stories of Anglicans whose lives reflect the quiet, faithful work of God in our midst.