Darlene Zschech Finishes First Round of Chemo to Treat Breast Cancer

Darlene Zschech, the former Hillsong worship leader who is battling breast cancer, posted an update Friday, saying she has finished her first round of chemo and has five to go.

“I am coming to the end of round one of chemo (I have 5 to go) and all I can say is, ‘Grace, grace and more grace,’ ” the singer-songwriter wrote on her blog.

Zschech announced she had cancer at the end of December. She wrote on her blog at that time that she has experienced two miracles in her body before and has confidence there will be more to come.

Zschech served as the worship pastor at Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia, for more than 10 years before co-pastoring another church with her husband, Mark. The couple has led Hope Unlimited Church on the central coast of New South Wales since 2011.

Zschech has been writing about her journey since her announcement at the end of last year. She reported last week that she lost hair, which she says has been “very confronting.”

“It definitely makes me look sicker than I feel. In saying that, I am finding great freedom through this,” she wrote, adding that her husband and daughters have been a comfort to her.

Though it has been “quite a ride on an emotional roller,” she wrote, “I can say that through it all, I am assured of God’s love for me. Truly this has been one of the sweetest parts of the journey. My beautiful Emmanuel is never far away.”

“Our Friends, family and our beloved church family are amazing every day,” she continued. “I’m ever convinced that life was always designed to be done in true community. Good days and bad days yet always better together.”

Zschech says she has been spending time writing songs and thoughts, which she will share when she is “on the other side of the mountain.”

“In fact, we are already planning a Thanksgiving service at our church in November,” she wrote in her blog post, “where we will record songs birthed during this season. We simply want to fill the place with praise for all that God has done.”

The singer-songwriter says she has also been enjoying redesigning her home.