I read about this on Towleroad.com this morning with a heavy heart.
The force of nature that is Tammy Faye, a woman of strong Christian faith and so supportive of the gay community, is past the point of medical treatment for lung cancer. For those of us who met her two summers ago at Outfest in LA and watched her movie "Death Defying," which chronicled her battle against the disease, you really just fell in love with her. She might have been easy to parody with the eye make-up and the crying, but she really is so much more than that - an amazing person who has tremendous humor and grit.
I sat directly in back of Tammy Faye and her husband at the Outfest screening and talked to them before the movie was shown and after the Q&A. She was having the time of her life being there with us gays and spoke of how it would be un-Christian-like to not love someone who is gay. She is a very powerful straight ally.
Here is part of what she posted on her web site yesterday:
My Dear Faithful Friends,
Thank you for the rooms full of flowers, the tables full of cards, and beautiful little gifts laying everywhere. Thank you so much! I know I have missed so many gifts I should have sent for these special occasions. And then, trusting God to heal my sick stomach. Please try to understand.
The doctors have stopped trying to treat the cancer and so now it's up to God and my faith. And that's enough! But please continue to pray for the pain and sick stomach.
My precious daughter, Tammy Sue, and her wonderful friends are staying with me while Roe builds churches. They don't want me falling down the stairs. I am down weight wise to 65 pounds, and look like a scarecrow. I need God's miracle to swallow.
To those of you who are suffering as I....."don't give up"!! Make up your mind you're going to LIVE !! That is NOT EASY! The path gets so long. I look at young people and wish with all my heart for just one day of "feeling great". You see, God gives out his promises, they do not lie, they do not fail. We do not have to BEG him for them, they are FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You CAN make it!

- Tammy Faye