My wife, Sara, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on April 11, 2025, three days after she turned 45. She’d spent months battling abdominal pain and gastrointestinal distress before doctors took her situation seriously this spring. On March 14, she had a cholecystectomy to remove her gallbladder and eventually was readmitted to the hospital, where she remained for 10 days, during which she received her diagnosis, along with the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, which, left untreated, can cause pancreatic cancer. Thankfully, the doctors believe they caught the cancer at Stage 1, which is completely unheard of with this scary, aggressive disease. But that cannot be confirmed until after she has surgery on May 2. On that day, she will have a Whipple procedure. This long, invasive procedure often comes with a lot of side effects, and the recovery can be very complicated, especially for someone like Sara, who has pre-existing diabetes and a back condition that already has complicated her mobility. The doctor estimates that surgery will take approximately six hours, and that she will spend 7-10 days in the hospital, initially in the ICU, before returning home. The best case scenario has her recovering from surgery for three months, then jumping into a six-months of chemo.

You can read more about her cancer journey at caringbridge.org/site/3a7e5fef-1f93-11f0-8db1-17b61a000c91

Sara had dedicated her career to caring for those who couldn’t care for themselves until her ongoing back issues caused her to focus on her own health in 2017. She had finally gotten back to work, pushing through the pain since 2021. Because of the pain of her condition, Sara has been off work again since her gallbladder surgery on March 14 and, with the Whipple procedure just around the corner, not only will she again be unable to work, but I will be taking time off, too, to assume the role Sara has lovingly filled for so many others. Recovery from a Whipple can be extremely complicated and of course chemo comes with its own recovery challenges. I know that Sara will need my support in the coming months, and that may mean extended leaves of absences from my job as well. As a result, as much as I hate to do it, we could use a little help navigating finances until we get through Sara’s treatment.

We appreciate any support that our friends and family can provide to help us get through this together – especially that in the form of prayer.