Dr. Tom Renfro, MD

Thomas E. Renfro, MD was born February 7, 1955 and raised in Norton, VA  Ed and Mildred Renfro. He graduated from J.I. Burton High School, in 1973 and then he attended Clinch Valley College in Wise, VA (now known as UVA's College at Wise). He transferred to and graduated from The University of Virginia in 1977 with a B.A. in Biology. Through the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics Respiratory Therapy Program he became a Registered Respiratory Therapist. In 1985, Dr. Renfro graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine.  From 1985-1988 he completed his intern and residency programs in Salem, VA and was honored as Best Intern in 1986 and as Best Resident in 1988. He became board certified in Internal Medicine in 1988 and returned to Norton to start his own practice where over the next eight years grew to incorporate 6 practitioners.

 

Dr. Renfro, his wife “Sid”, and their son Jason attended and was continually active in their local church, at Freedom of Worship Church. Things were going very well for this family until a mass developed on his neck and he was diagnosed in 1996 with mantle cell lymphoma, an aggressive, resistant, and persistent malignancy of the lymphatic system that offered little chance of survival. 

 

Faced with this devastating diagnosis and knowing the limitations that medical science could offer against his disease, Dr. Renfro turned to his Church family for help in this battle. Together they prayed, stood on the scriptures, encouraged one another, and sought the Lord for healing. In June of 1997, the disease had taken its toll on Dr. Renfro's body to the point he could no longer continue his practice. Over the next several months the tumors grew, causing blood clots, pulmonary emboli, and pneumonia.  The tumor burden and adenopathy was massive, engorging his abdomen and mediastinum. Unable to eat he became malnourished and bedridden with developing decubitus ulcers. But throughout this ordeal, his spirit was maintained, through encouragement from his wife, relentless prayers from his church family, and daily visitations from his pastor and ministerial staff.  On December 3, 1997, after being hospitalized and at the point of death, those prayers from his family, the church, and a community were answered, and the Lord miraculously healed Dr. Renfro. The Lord not only physically healed Dr. Renfro, but restored his health, practice, and established a ministry in him and his wife. 

 

Dr. Renfro began preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in March of 1998. Since that time, he has been able to minister in hundreds of churches, pray for thousands of people, and share this miraculous story through the 700 Club, and the Story of God by Morgan Freeman. For the last 15 years he has produced a weekly television series called "Walking in the Kingdom ". Dr Renfro shares his unique understanding as both a minister of the Gospel and a practicing physician in his recently released book, Avenues of Healing (reaching for the healing power of God).