2023… WOW! What a year  it has been! It is now that I publicly share my story with the intention that I may be of service to others, if only to offer hope.

In August, I was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer, as someone who has never smoked, with metastasis to the bone and lymph, and probable lesions that were forming in the liver and colon. To say I was in shock is an extreme understatement. I was very active, happy, and healthy, except for a lingering cough. In fact, in January, I was zip-lining in the jungles of Costa Rica. In March, I was hiking in Asheville. In April, I was swimming in Florida. In May, I was hiking in the high desert of Arizona. In June, I saw a doctor for help with the cough, and was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia that did not improve with treatment. After many tests, in August I was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer. The scans revealed “innumerable pulmonary nodules”, with a softball-sized tumor in the top of my left lung. The concussive nature of the shock wave left me dazed. I found the mental and emotional stress to be just as challenging as the physical trauma.

With the support of my incredible friends and family, I decided to embrace life fully and live, really live. To address the mental and emotional stress, I leaned into intense LifeLine therapy. I was divinely guided to Dr. Daniel Haggstorm, an oncologist with a compassionate heart. Dr. Haggstrom and his incredible team are truly remarkable. His bedside manner is equally as brilliant as his professional prowess. I fondly refer to him as the Cancer GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).. In September, I began a specialized protein therapy and immediately improved.

In November, I was cleared to travel again. In December, another PET scan revealed that the softball-sized tumor was a mere fraction of what it once was! The cough was gone. I am celebrating life and the power of love.. I am a mighty miracle feeling vitally alive and filled with infinite love and gratitude! Each report and scan shows continued improvement and a body that is discovering a new pathway to homeostasis. 

Life is better now. It is sweeter. It is slower. I recognize the gift of cherishing each day, not taking life for granted and rushing around, as I once did. I breathe deeper. I cherish and treasure a core group of friends that kept me going and literally kept me alive when I didn’t have the strength or will to take care of myself. I have a new respect for medical professionals and the pharmaceutical industry. I love more expressively, and I am keenly aware of the masses of people from all over the world, who love me and openly express it. I realized that I have been blessed with incredible children, grandchildren and children-in-law. They are some of the most loving and beautiful human beings on the planet. I appreciate my family and friends with clearer, more authentic, and more meaningful connections. What incredible gifts! 

I joyfully stepped into 2024 with a heart filled with infinite love and gratitude. I am thriving and feel vitally alive. In January, I took the trip of a lifetime to Egypt with some of my dearest friends! In April, I celebrated my 65th birthday in Turks and Caicos, and in May, I was hiking again in Antelope Canyon in Arizona! Life is a grand adventure, and I am thrilled to be on the journey.

– Sharon