Cured of Ebola, Nina Pham Thanks God, Prayer Supporters

Nina Pham, the first nurse to contract Ebola from patient Thomas Duncan in Texas, was declared cured of Ebola today in Maryland where she was being treated by NIH.

Nina thanked God and the many people who prayed for her. Nina’s family attends Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Fort Worth, which held several prayer vigils for her.

“I feel fortunate and blessed to be standing here today,” Pham said at a press conference, which can be viewed in this video.

“I would first and foremost like to thank God, my family, and friends. Throughout this ordeal, I have put my trust in God and my medical team. I am on my way back to recovery, even as I reflect on how many others have not been so fortunate.”

Nina added, “I believe in the power of prayer, because I know so many people all over the world have been praying for me. I do not know how I can ever thank you everyone enough for their prayers and their expressions concern, hope, and love. I join you in prayer now for the recovery of others, including my colleague and friend Amber Vinson, and Dr. Craig Spencer.”

Nina looked foward to returning to Texas with her family, and to “reunite with my dog Bentley.” The dog has also been declared Ebola free.

Tom Ha, a Pham family friend back in Texas, and a parishioner in the Vietnamese community at Our Lady of Fatima, told the Dallas News, “We’re so excited in our community that she is Ebola-free.”

Nolan Catholic High School, where Nina graduated in 2006, also held prayer services for her, according to Catholic News Agency.  The Diocese of Dallas indicated that when Nina was still being treated in Texas, a priest was communicating with her from outside the quarantine boundary.

See also “The Parish of the Second Ebola Patient’s Family: Our Lady of Fatima, Fort Worth.”