Hope for Sarah: The War against Stage 4

My name is Sarah, and I never imagined I’d be here—writing this, asking for help, humbly reaching out to strangers and friends alike, but life has taken a turn I never expected, and now, I have no choice but to fight for survival in more ways than one.

In September 2024, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 metastatic breast cancer of the right breast with a tumor measuring 2.8 cm and a second mass in my lymph nodes measuring 6mm. I had no idea the cancer cells in my right breast were growing uncontrollably.

A few short months later, doctors discovered that the cancer has spread, devastatingly, to my hip bones and bone marrow. I have cancerous bone lesions or areas where the cancer has damaged the bone and is growing in the bone marrow, and paresthesia (abnormal sensations like tingling or numbness) has taken over my lower pelvic region due to all the tumors growing out of the base of my spine.

At first, I held onto hope that treatment would be straightforward, that I could fight this and return to my life. But cancer always has other plans and wont take a break from its work to allow you time to catch up to it or even process the fact that you now have the most aggressive version of it and have now progressed to Stage IV.

I am undergoing treatment, but the side effects are beyond challenging to say the least. My bone density is deteriorating, causing extreme pain in my hips that makes it difficult to stand or sit. I limp most days from the pain of merely putting weight on my legs, having to rely on a cane. My skin has began to show rashed the treatment causes, and I suffer from intense hot flashes, extreme arthritis pain, and find myself slipping deeper into depression.

Worst of all, because of the tumors that have begun growing at the base of my spine that have caused complete numbness in my pelvic region, I can’t even sit for long periods of time like a normal healthy person, I toss and turn all night, and I wake up more exhausted than when I went to bed.

Before cancer, I worked hard for decades (28 years as a Hairstylist), a cat mommy of 2 sweet little fur babies that keep a smile on my face when I find that I've lost it. I had big dreams of being an entrepreneur of multiple business focuses on different ways of continuing to help people like I have in my hair career. Doing hair was so incredible, helping people with one of the most important security systems: self worth, self value, self esteem.

My businesses would have targeted education for my fellow brothers and sisters in the hair craft, asset/overages recovery for foreclosure survivors, and helping people repair their credit, and becoming a signing agent. I'm proud to say I was able to obtain my Notary commission in the state of Texas but as of January this year, I just do not have the energy to continue with my business endeavors.

I have started treatment, and there's no way of working like this as my body is being destroyed day by day. I am waiting for food stamps, relying on local food pantries, which do not provide the nutrient-rich diet I need to fight this disease.

I am doing everything I can to stay hopeful, to keep faith that help I desperately need will finally come. But this cancer is aggressive, and I feel the decline more and more each day.

I am humbly asking for any support you can give—whether it’s a donation, a share, or a prayer. Every dollar will go toward rent, utilities, and basic necessities while I wait for the benefits I should have already received.

I never thought I’d be in this position, but I am grateful for the chance to tell my story and appeal to the kindness of others. If you can help, please know that your generosity means the world to me.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing with me in this fight.

With love and gratitude,

Sarah C.

Dallas, Texas