Book

Dr. McAvoy has published a book, Science Deepens Faith: Jessie’s Miracle, that discusses the pseudomyxoma research from its inception in 2004 through early 2016. In addition the book discusses philosophical issues arising from the research. Under Research Updates on this website research updates from early 2016 to the present are given. Science Deepens Faith: Jessie’s Miracle, is available from Xulon Press. Any profit from sales of the book will be donated to charity.

Back Cover

A SCIENTIST’S JOURNEY THROUGH LOVE AND LOSS — TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY GOD ALLOWS DISEASE AND OTHER EVILS TO EXIST

In his new autobiography/help guide, Science Deepens Faith, Thomas McAvoy describes the little-known cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei, that eventually claimed the life of his wife, Jessie, and the steps he took to research the disease, in hopes of finding a cure. After diagnosis the couple took to their faith in God to prepare for what lay ahead in this disease, only to discover that few scientific studies were published on it.

Sadly, Jessie succumbed to her cancer, creating a devastating loss for Thomas, their family and friends. However, Thomas’ push to remember Jessie’s legacy motivated him to continue researching her cancer and learn ways to cure it for others.

Science Deepens Faith provides readers not only an uplifting account of Jessie’s life and legacy, but also informs them about the journey in studying pseudomyxoma peritonei Thomas embarked on that led to new understandings and solution developments for the disease.

Science Deepens Faith also discusses the insight Thomas gained through studying science about why evil and diseases such as cancer exist in our world and how looking critically into such subjects as the Big Bang, astronomy, evolution, physics and scripture provides an answer to this question.

The discussion in the book about reconciling faith and science agrees with the opinion of famous scientists:

  • “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.”Albert Einstein
  • “A little science estranges men from God, but much science leads them back to Him.” Louis Pasteur
  • Carl Sagan“Any faith that admires truth, that strives to know God, must be brave enough to accommodate the universe.”

Science Deepens Faith will help strengthen readers’ faith and help them appreciate that faith and science are not in conflict.

About the Author

Tom Mc Avoy was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1940 and he received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute in 1961. He received a Ph. D. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University in 1964. He taught chemical engineering for 40 years, first at the University of Massachusetts (1964-1980) and then at the University of Maryland (1980-2004). Tom is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland. He holds joint appointments in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, the Institute for Systems Research, and the Bioengineering Department. He has published over 180 technical papers. He splits his time between Maryland in the winter and Massachusetts in the summer.

The book has been reviewed at the Online Book Club.