Dear Jack
Foundation

Angela

Active LifeList Participant

I was diagnosed in April of 2024 with sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma. 2024 started with so many plans for progress for my family. We had just adopted a dog and bought a home when I started to struggle with pain in my hamstring. When I finally got imaging done in April, doctors found tumors growing. The doctors got me a same day appointment with an oncologist and I began my journey. After undergoing a bone biopsy I was officially diagnosed with sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma that was primarily in my sacrum, but I also had other tumors going up my spine and in other places around my body, putting me at stage IV. I was diagnosed just before my 35th birthday and needed to start treatment immediately. Within a week I went in for surgery to place my port and start my first round of chemo. After a few rounds of chemo, I had imaging done that showed that the chemo was unfortunately not working. I then started five weeks of intense radiation followed by surgery to remove a grapefruit-sized mass. 

The physical and emotional toll has been intense. As a mother of a wonderful, 13-year-old young man, this news was devastating. Trying to stay positive and still enjoying the time that I can has been very important to me. The lack of response from the initial chemo and radiation makes my status very poor since the cancer is not responding to the treatments we are trying. It can be very difficult to stay positive when treatments keep failing. All I want is to continue creating as many positive memories for my son to hold onto once I am gone. I did not think I would be planning for the end of my life at 35. I have so much left that I wanted to do.

Angela’s LifeList:

  1. A trip to a national park

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