**Facing the Unimaginable: A Journey Through Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer**
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Sara Sandoval’s life was poised for transformation in 2024. With a wedding planned for October and the excitement of starting a family on the horizon, she decided to get a thorough health check-up in preparation. At 35 years old, she was proactive in addressing her health, especially considering her history with autoimmune issues. “I wanted a clean slate,” she recounted to PEOPLE, following a series of extensive blood tests that came back normal. However, just eight weeks later, everything changed with a shocking diagnosis: stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
Throughout this period, Sara enjoyed her wedding preparations without any significant concerns. She had never experienced breast cancer in her family, nor did she have any alarming symptoms aside from a strange feeling in her upper left armpit, which she attributed to workouts in anticipation of her wedding day. “I thought I might have pulled a muscle,” she explained. But as the sensation persisted, she became more concerned and promptly arranged for a consultation.
Her world came crashing down upon undergoing a mammogram. “I saw the look on the technician’s face. I knew something was wrong,” Sara recalled. Following an ultrasound and a consultation with a radiologist, the devastating news was delivered: “I can’t confirm this without a biopsy, but that’s breast cancer.” In a moment that would forever alter her life, Sara found herself in a stark room, shirtless and crying, as she absorbed the gravity of the diagnosis.
The situation escalated rapidly; only three weeks after her initial consultation, a full-body CT scan revealed that the cancer had metastasised to her liver. This life-altering update came just 40 days before her wedding and happened to coincide with her future husband Ramiro’s birthday. “I went from receiving no warning signs to stage 4 breast cancer in a matter of weeks,” she recounted with despair. “This is stage 4 cancer. It’s incurable. There are no surgeries that can remove this cancer from your body,” she remembered hearing, unable to grasp the enormity of her diagnosis at such a young age.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women in the United States aside from skin cancers. The American Cancer Society’s interim chief patient officer, Dr. Shanthi Sivendran, clarified that metastatic breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells from the breast spread to other parts of the body, such as nearby lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and bones. The five-year relative survival rate for this stage of cancer hovers around 32%, illustrating the severe prognosis.
Given her uncertainty, Sara promptly commenced chemotherapy. Recognising the significance of her impending wedding, her oncology team rescheduled one of her treatments, allowing her to fully embrace her big day. Despite losing her long hair just before the wedding, Sara expressed gratitude for having a wig ready. On the wedding day itself, the couple enjoyed a lively celebration, filled with dancing and joy, reflecting a spirit of resilience in the face of adversity.
Today, Sara manages her metastatic breast cancer with a combination of immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. Encouragingly, her current health reports indicate no active cancer cells. Maintaining a busy lifestyle, she works as a marketing executive in Chicago, helms her own digital magazine, Cancer Unfiltered, and participates in support groups like The Breasties. Sara’s commitment to advocating for those with stage 4 cancer stems from a desire to break misconceptions; “Metastatic breast cancer does not look like your 70- or 80-year-old,” she stated, highlighting her mission to represent younger patients in the community. Her efforts bring hope to many, with treatment advancements allowing some women to live well into their 30-year cancer journeys.
In a moment of great joy, Sara and Ramiro received the green light from her oncologist to start the adoption process. “We made it a year with no evidence of active disease,” she shared, her voice filled with excitement about what the future holds. While the path ahead is uncertain, she firmly believes that fostering and loving a child, even for a limited time, is more valuable than the alternative of a child growing up without love.
“This gives us hope that there is life after cancer,” she expressed. “I can’t confidently say what will happen two, five, or ten years from now, but investing love into a child is something I can cherish every day.” Sara Sandoval’s story serves as a poignant reminder of resilience, hope, and the pursuit of normalcy in the face of life-altering challenges.