Welcome to my new blog, Faith & Cancer. My name is Jacqueline and I’ll be your host. The long version of my story can be found in the links about, but the short version is that shortly before I turned 33, I was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome as well. The combination of surgery and chemotherapy got me to NED status, or No Evidence of Disease. I’ve now been cancer free for nearly 2 years.

A cancer diagnosis is not an easy thing to live with. A stage IV cancer diagnosis is an even harder thing to live with. How do you continue to live your life even as you wrestle with your own mortality? Without question, my faith is what got me through. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The world knows us as Mormons. I grew up in the church, learning about where we came from and where we’re going. I learned of my Savior, Jesus Christ and that He died for you and for me, and everyone else. I learned about so many things, but it wasn’t until I was diagnosed with cancer that all the things I learned became real to me.

I’ve started this blog to share my thoughts of my journey thus far and to share what comes next. I’m cancer free now, but I’m still at relatively high risk of it returning. Lynch Syndrome means I’m at higher risk of various cancers. My last surgery left me with Ovarian Remnant Syndrome. My health journey is far from over. My spiritual journey will never be over. Cancer forever intersected the two.