Hi! I’m Sarah.

I’m a 43-year-old mom of two, and I’ve been battling Synovial Sarcoma (a rare, 1 in a million, aggressive, and often deadly form of soft tissue cancer) on and off since 2010. We believe it was misdiagnosed in my childhood as a benign lipoma, lying dormant until I was about 30. I finally received a proper diagnosis in December 2011.

I’m currently facing my sixth recurrence, and it’s the most aggressive one yet. This time, the tumor is in my right lung with nerve involvement (though the original tumor was in my left foot), and it’s growing rapidly. After six months of not-very-productive chemotherapy, I’ve just finished radiation to help manage the increasing pain. My incredible team at Memorial Sloan Kettering is also exploring new clinical trials and off-label treatments in hopes of slowing this down.

Despite years of surgeries, treatments, and trials, the financial toll of cancer is immense, and insurance doesn’t even come close to covering everything. We’re treading water, but as my medical needs continue to grow, we’re asking for help. As the stormy seas of my health bash us around, having a small financial lifeboat would mean everything to my family.

When I began this journey, I was given a 4–6% chance of surviving five years. I’ve made it almost 15. Every day has been a gift, and I’m so grateful to still be here.

A little about me:

I’m a huge music lover (The Beatles and The Cure are my top obsessions). I love cheetahs. I’m the proud daughter of a Vietnam veteran. I run our town’s community forum here in Northern New Jersey (with help from some amazing friends), I’m on the Band Boosters board at my kids’ high school, and I work part-time in a small local office with a team of truly lovely and understanding people.

I’ve lived a life full of both terrifying challenges and immense beauty & wonder. Through every high and low, I’ve refused to let circumstances crush me. I get up. I keep going. Even when it’s hard or slow, I show up, because that’s what I know how to do.

My goals? To see my kids launch into adulthood with confidence and love. To maybe travel a little. To create, to give, and to spend meaningful time with my husband and loved ones. Ultimately, I’d love to leave a happy mark on this world, however small.

Any help or support you feel moved to give means more than I can ever express.

Every donation will go directly toward medical bills, household expenses, and, if we’re lucky, some small local adventures with my teens while I’m still here to make memories with them. They were just toddlers when I was first diagnosed, and they’ve had to watch me go through this again and again. They’ve missed out on a lot due to my health, and they deserve something bright in all of this.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you, from the bottom of my heart, if you choose to donate and/or share. You’re helping us breathe a little easier in the middle of this storm, and that means the world.

With love,

Sarah