Extraordinary women who refuse to let cancer define how they live
Portuguese Caves.
The French Riviera.
Marbella Style.
A Monaco Casino.
These aren’t destinations on a bucket list waiting for “one day.”
They’re happening now.
Because when you’re living with stage 4 cancer, later is never guaranteed.
Leah has coined a phrase that perfectly captures her approach:
“The art of living with stage 4 cancer.”
She isn’t in remission – yet.
But six months ago, something remarkable happened.
Her tumour markers became normal.
They’ve stayed stable.
Life has followed an unusual rhythm:
Five-day water fasts.
Three-day chemotherapy infusions.
Extreme nutrition protocols.
Routine blood work.
Scans.
Treatments.
Doctor’s appointments.
A constant cycle of feast and famine.
In May, Leah stepped away from standard chemotherapy and moved onto a low-dose metronomic chemotherapy tablet. Alongside this, she introduced additional repurposed medications and is now concentrating on rebuilding an immune system battered by harsh treatments.
Despite everything, she’s still choosing adventure.
Sarah recently received a letter from her consultant.
Its message was devastating.
“Survival likely no more than 18 months.”
The implication was impossible to ignore.
That she may not live to see her son Dexter’s seventh birthday.
But Sarah refuses to accept that prognosis as the final word.
“I could not take this as truth, and I won’t. I am committed to do everything I can to still be here, functioning and healthy.”
She looks for joy wherever she can find it.
“As always I try to see fun and happiness regardless of what is going on. We had an amazing opportunity to see our friends get married in Portugal.”
Every evening, as she puts Dexter to bed, they have a ritual.
“We show love to my lumps. He places his hand over them and says, ‘Sending you love. You came to show Mum something. Now you can go now. We love you.’”
“He also places stickers on my lumps and draws things like dinosaurs or flowers on them. My heart just bursts.”
It’s impossible not to imagine that moment.
Her little boy.
Dinosaurs.
Flowers.
Offering her love – without fear.
Sarah’s next chapter begins in India.
She’s placed her hopes in The Art of Healing Cancer, where her treatment will be built around extensive tumour profiling, RGCC testing, genomic sequencing and other investigations designed to personalise her care.
For Sarah, hope isn’t passive.
It’s action.
Steph has also lived through profound highs and lows this month.
She lost one of her closest friends.
Her partner in crime.
Her cancer soulmate.
Even in the middle of grief, she’s helping organise a fundraiser to support her friend’s husband and twin daughters as they face life without their wife and mother.
And she’s still making plans.
A family holiday.
A month in Bangkok.
Because cancer has taken enough already.
Steph is determined it won’t take her future too. She’s adopted the hashtag #livingliving – not just living, but really living.
Finding your people
All three women spoke about something that goes far beyond medicine.
Community.
Leah put it simply.
“If I never beat this disease, my soul is at peace. Thank you God.”
Sarah attended The Appleseed Project earlier this year, hosted by Julia (shown below) – a gathering that brings together cancer survivors alongside experts in integrative therapies, nutrition, lifestyle medicine and evidence-informed complementary care.
There she met names that have become symbols of hope within the cancer community.
Jane McLelland. Author of ‘How to starve cancer’ and 2 x time cancer survivor herself.
Chris Wark. Chris Beat Cancer.
Joe Tippens. Stage 4 cancer survivor with use of Fenbendazole.
Denise. ‘And the wonderful Denise another survivor and wonderful human being.’ (Me apparently!)
To many people, those names mean little.
To those navigating cancer, they’re something entirely different.
“These names may not mean anything to those who haven’t been touched by cancer. But once you delve into the cancer world these names are like celebrities; rays of hope.”
Steph echoed the same feeling.
“If there is one thing I am grateful for, it’s the people I’ve met along the way.”
“These women have shaped this journey in ways I never expected.”
“To be surrounded by people who genuinely understand. To know somebody is always there. To watch complete strangers become friends. That’s priceless.”
Hope leaves footprints
Sometimes hope needs faces.
People who have walked this road before.
Joe.
Each has reached remission.
Joanna is still working towards hers.
Their stories don’t guarantee anyone else’s outcome.
But they remind these women that survival is possible.
That remission happens.
That today’s statistics don’t always predict tomorrow’s reality.
Perhaps that’s what this series has really become.
Not simply a story about women living with stage 4 cancer.
But a story about women insisting on living.
Travelling.
Laughing.
Falling apart.
Finding each other.
Planning futures.
Loving fiercely.
And proving, day after day, that even in the shadow of cancer, life is still something to be lived lived.
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