I was first diagnosed in September 2019, when I was 29 years old and had a ten-month-old son. I was transferred out of state for emergency care and stayed there for eight months to receive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. A couple of years later, I relapsed and had to return for additional treatment. During that time, I developed a rare and life-threatening lung infection called Mucor. I was told the outlook was extremely poor, and for a time, it felt like there were no more options available to me.

It was one of the hardest moments in my journey. I stepped away from the hospital for a short while, prioritized my rest, and focused on the things that gave me strength and hope. Over time, my health improved enough for me to return to treatment, and I received a second transplant. Two and a half years later, I relapsed again. I’m now undergoing chemotherapy and donor lymphocyte infusions as I continue moving forward.

Ciarra’ LifeList:

1. Family trip

I was diagnosed on April 5, 2023, at the age of 36. At the time of my diagnosis, I was 32 weeks pregnant with my youngest child. I had symptoms for many months, but they were always brushed off as being “pregnancy-related”. I was encouraged to get a colonoscopy after I delivered my baby, but my symptoms kept getting worse, so my doctor finally referred me to a GI. At first, they did a stool sample and blood work, which all came back “normal”. So the next step was a flexible sigmoidoscopy. I was 32 weeks pregnant when I had that appointment. I was awake for the procedure and saw the tumor pop up on the screen. In my heart, I knew what it was before the doctor even said anything. It was such an awful feeling! At 36 weeks, I was induced to get things moving with my treatment. Originally, I was told I would do chemo first and then surgery, but during a colonoscopy, my bowel was perforated, which required immediate surgery. This changed the order of my treatment. I had my first surgery in May of 2023. While addressing the infection, they also removed my colon tumor and a tumor from my right ovary. The surgery also required a colostomy bag. To help with the healing, my wound was left open, and I was sent home with a wound vac and drain line. Spring of 2024, I had three rounds of radiation to target the spots on my liver. In August of 2024, my cancer spread to my remaining ovary. I had my second surgery – a full hysterectomy with a vertical incision due to the tumor’s large size (6.6 pounds!)

After healing from my hysterectomy, I returned to chemo, but it wasn’t long until my cancer progressed and I needed another surgery! In November of 2024, I had a liver resection to remove 40% of my liver. Some of my liver tumors were growing despite being within the radiation field. I had to take a break from chemo to recover from surgery. Unfortunately, my newest scans are showing a new spread to my lungs and a new spot on my liver. I’m back on chemo and have scans coming up soon. It has felt like one thing after another! I am thankful that my body has remained strong enough to keep fighting, but I wish I could get to a place where treatment isn’t the main focus of my life! Being a young adult with cancer is really frustrating and exhausting.

Andrea’s LifeList:

1. I would like to do something with my children to create lasting memories

My name is Amira, and I was diagnosed with classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma around August of 2024. It started with a little lump in my neck and no other symptoms that really stood out. I suppose fatigue could have been one, but at the time I was diagnosed, I was working full time and went to school full time. It was hard to adjust from being so busy to being home the entire time of my treatment, which was once every other week. I had always been really healthy, and I could never have seen this coming. I am currently undergoing treatment and am in my last cycle.

Amira’s LifeList:

1. A trip to visit her mother

I am 28 years old and was diagnosed with stage 3 HER2+ breast cancer in July of 2024. I found out that I carry the BRCA-1 gene, which was another shock because, as far as I know, I am the first person in my family to actually have cancer.

I started with IVF in August of 2024 to preserve my fertility. After completing IVF, I immediately began chemotherapy on August 28, 2024, and completed it in December. That led to my mastectomy on January 15, 2025. I am currently undergoing antibody infusions every three weeks until November of 2025 and started radiation therapy on April 2, 2025. I have a total of 25 rounds of radiation scheduled. It’s been an overwhelming year, but I am pushing through one step at a time.

Annette’s Wish

1. A trip with my partner

I was diagnosed at 23 years old in April of 2023 with fibrolamellar carcinoma, a rare cancer that only one in five million people get. I got surgery before undergoing chemotherapy, but it was discovered that the cancer had spread all over my abdomen. It’s been stage IV since I started chemo in August of 2023, and to this day, I have been doing chemo every 2 weeks as consistently as I can. There are breaks here and there because of sickness and surgery. I have done 31 chemo treatments so far.

Taylor’s LifeList:

1. A trip to Hawaii

I was diagnosed on December of 2023 at age 38 after a mammogram and 11 biopsies. After my diagnosis, I received six rounds of chemotherapy at my local clinic, which is about an hour away from where I live. Once I finished chemotherapy and recovered, I moved into “surgery season,” which was the summer of 2024. For my breast surgeries, I traveled to Seattle, WA (about three hours away from home) for a bilateral mastectomy, directly to implant. During the recovery stage, I ended up with an infection in one of my incisions that led to an emergency explant. Thankfully, I was able to have that implant replaced after two weeks and started the recovery over again. 

Once I was healed from those surgeries in early October 2024, I had a full hysterectomy and oophorectomy. After that recovery process was complete, my oncologist started me on fourteen rounds of chemotherapy. I’m currently about halfway through this treatment.

Before cancer entered my world, I had also suffered since around the age of 30 from diverticulitis. I’ve had five total bouts of diverticulitis since the age of 30, which has led to me needing a colonoscopy every three years. During my first colonoscopy, they discovered multiple polyps, one of which was precancerous. At my last colonoscopy, they determined that I have diverticulosis in all four sections of my colon, which means I’ll have to live with this issue for the remainder of my life because I am not a candidate for resection surgery.

Because I am very sensitive to medicines and have an incredibly low pain tolerance, my current chemotherapy treatment has been very hard on my body. I spend a lot of time in bed with severe fatigue, body aches, and nausea. I also frequently break out in rashes from the chemo that require rounds of steroids to clear.

Carlee’s LifeList:

1. A family trip to the beach 

Before being diagnosed with cancer, I had recently made a big change in my life. I moved off-grid with my three dogs and two cats to Northern Arizona and was promoted to Lead Veterinary Technician at work. At 32 years old, I was full of pride in both my personal and professional life, feeling excited about the path I was on. However, in September 2024, I noticed one of my lymph nodes was swollen. I didn’t think much of it at first, but by December, when it hadn’t gone down, I began searching for answers. The road to my diagnosis took time, but on February 10, 2025, I received the news: I had stage II unfavorable Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At the time, my five animals and I had moved to Phoenix to live with my parents. In the blink of an eye, I went from being independent and self-sufficient to feeling like my entire world had been turned upside down.

Since my diagnosis, I have been on chemotherapy. I’ll soon have my first PET scan since starting treatment. This scan will help determine if the chemotherapy is working and whether it’s possible to reduce the number of chemotherapy drugs I’m receiving. Chemotherapy is incredibly difficult because, at times, you catch glimpses of what it feels like to be healthy again. There are days when I feel like my healthy self again, but then I have to sit in a chair and allow myself to be filled with drugs that both heal and harm. It’s such a challenging cycle, mentally and physically.

Lyss’ LifeList:

1. A trip to the beach 

I was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer in 2020 at the age of 33. It has been a rollercoaster ride with thirty-six chemotherapy rounds (and counting), 7 surgeries, radiation, a temporary colostomy, a venting tube, a PICC line, and a month-long hospital stay due to sepsis. I have the most incredible husband and two daughters (ages 13 and 11). They have been my support and inspiration to keep fighting. I hate that they have had so much worry and stress added to their lives because of my diagnosis. I would love nothing more than to take a trip with them and make memories together!

McKenzie’s LifeList:

1. A tropical cruise or trip to Destin, Florida, with my husband and two daughters

I was living in Spain when I essentially had to move back home for treatment after finding a lump on my clavicle. The lump continued to grow, and after a brief trip with my boyfriend, I returned home to news that the lump appeared cancerous. I then underwent the painstaking diagnosis stage with numerous biopsies, surgeries, and scans that resulted in a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This happened in December of 2024, and immediately after, I began chemotherapy and immunotherapy. I am now nearing the end of my treatment and have my last scans coming up soon. The road through chemotherapy was tough, and the mental trials were absolutely testing of my limits, but I feel as though I’ve come out stronger and more thankful for what’s happened in my life than ever.

Myles’ LifeList:

1. Flights to Spain

I was diagnosed with colon cancer in November of 2023 after a year and a half of having periodic blood in my stool and asking for a colonoscopy. By December 2023, I was having colon resection surgery, and afterwards I was told that no lymph nodes were involved and no cancer was shown in my blood, so I was cleared! 

At my six-month follow-up in July of 2024, a scan revealed about a dozen nodules between both lungs, and other tests confirmed a recurrence. From there, I underwent a PET scan, an MRI, and a lung biopsy where they shoved a giant needle in between my ribs and clipped the tumors for testing while I was awake. All of these tests confirmed it was colon cancer in my lungs, so I was declared stage IV.

In Late September of 2024, I began 12 rounds of chemo and completed this regimen in late February of 2025. Unfortunately, this treatment has left me with neuropathy in my hands and feet, so after over 20 years of being a guitar player and being in various bands, I’m no longer able to play the guitar. Following the chemo, I had another scan which showed only about four nodules remaining between both lungs and no new nodules anywhere else in my body! I will now undergo a month of radiation on both lungs in hopes of being declared “no evidence of disease.” Unfortunately, I do not have much family, so I have been relying heavily on my loving girlfriend to organize my appointments and documents and support me.

John’s LifeList:

1. A trip with my girlfriend somewhere scenic, like Colorado, Montana, or North Carolina