Angelo’s cancer was discovered in February 2025 after a biopsy of what was believed to be a simple abdominal cyst that had grown quickly. Initially, everything seemed normal, but internal bleeding required him to return to surgery the following day. The biopsy results took time, and by the time they arrived, nearly two months had […]

Valerie is currently NED (no evidence of disease), though the emotional weight of cancer remains a constant presence in her life. While scans show no active disease, she lives with ongoing scan anxiety-a reminder that survivorship can be just as complex as treatment itself. Valerie describes cancer as an isolating diagnosis, one that often goes […]

Ralph was diagnosed with stage 4 synovial sarcoma in the right hip with mets to the bilateral lungs in 2018 at the young age of 34. He had been complaining of hip pain for a few years prior to diagnosis, however was always assured it was due to a prior injury (femur fracture from car […]

Diagnosed in 2021 after struggling with breathing. Fluid was initially discovered around her heart, and after draining it, doctors found a 10+ cm synovial sarcoma mass growing behind her heart. Courtney was originally told the tumor was “inoperable” by her care team. Despite her dire prognosis, she chose to undergo six rounds of AIM chemotherapy […]

Diagnosed in January 2022 at the age of 32 after almost three years of intermittent but steadily worsening pain in his left shoulder. The symptoms were misdiagnosed as shoulder impingement, bursitis, and ganglion cyst by several physicians. A “whoops surgery” had already been scheduled, but after two failed aspiration attempts for the supposed cyst, a […]

Originally misdiagnosed as having small cell osteosarcoma, a 5+ cm high-grade tumor was found in her left thigh invading the femur. She completed four rounds of high-dose doxorubicin (outpatient) and four doses of intra-arterial cisplatin (inpatient). Limb-sparing surgery with allograft tumor removal was performed in June 2009 with clear margins but not enough necrosis to […]