Sara’s Story

Sara’s journey began with the unbelievable news that she had cancer. Now she’s sharing hope with others facing this fight.

Grateful for community-led care

It all started with popcorn. A stray kernel down her shirt on movie night led Sara to find the lump that changed everything. At just 40 years old, Sara didn’t think she’d be facing a cancer diagnosis, but an ultrasound at Asante Imaging confirmed her fear. She had cancer. Not knowing what to do, she frantically called Imaging. She just needed to talk with someone.

The person who picked up understood Sara’s urgency and assured her that someone would review her chart and be back in touch soon. Within ten minutes, the phone rang, and Nurse Navigator Melanie was on the other end, reassuring Sara and setting a meeting for the very next Monday. Asante nurse navigators are trained to help patients through the first and hardest steps of their cancer journey. During their meeting, Melanie walked Sara and her husband Chris through her diagnosis and what to expect next.

“I can’t tell you how crucial that initial touch point was. Just to talk to someone who was going to help me figure this out meant that I could finally take a deep breath.”

Three days later, Sara had her first appointment with a doctor, followed by a rapid succession of MRIs, CT scans, genetic testing, bone scans, more ultrasounds and biopsies.

“I will forever be grateful with how fast Asante was able to get me in for all these tests. It was a whirlwind, but it meant we could understand what type and stage of cancer I had, which meant that treatment could start faster.”

She had surgery just 43 days after her initial diagnosis.

But surgery uncovered a lot more cancer, and Sara was referred to an oncologist at the Mary and Dick Heimann Cancer Center. Her oncologist, Dr. Alison Savage, charted the course ahead of Sara. At her first visit she learned that her treatment plan would include months of care, with chemotherapy and radiation. She also learned that Asante Foundation was hosting its second annual Walk for Hope the next day and Sara decided to attend. She recalls that the event felt surreal. She was surrounded by other people like her – people who have cancer.

Walk for Hope is an annual event held at Asante’s Heimann Cancer Center to honor cancer survivors, caregivers, and those we’ve lost. Live music, great food, useful resources, and meaningful activities create a special celebration of community that raises vital funds. Since 2022, Walk for Hope has been the leading event in southern Oregon and northern California providing nearly $400,000 to support local cancer care through Asante.

For the next year, Sara spent a lot of time at the Heimann Cancer Center, completing her treatment plan and finally learning she was cancer free! It was a full-circle moment when she stepped onto the stage as the featured speaker at the 2024 Walk for Hope. Her words of encouragement rang true for the many survivors in the crowd:

“I tell you my story because cancer is hard. Treatments are hard. The mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual stamina – not to mention the time that’s required of any cancer patient, and their caretakers, is tremendous. To everyone who is still in their journey, I encourage you to dig deep to fight this battle with grace and with hope.”

Sara spoke to over 1,100 participants in attendance who came together to make a difference – she urged them to find purpose, as she has, in caring for others:

“For those of you who have been through this, either as a survivor or a supporter, become an Asante volunteer at Heimann; support Asante Foundation; send a note of encouragement to someone still in the fight. None of us wanted this in our lives, or in the lives of our loved ones. But trials always bring people together. Just look at who is here today. Yes, today we walk for hope, but we also walk together for our future.”

While she looks forward to becoming an Asante volunteer at Heimann Cancer Center, Sara and Chris have chosen to express their gratitude by making a special donation to Asante cancer services through the Foundation.

Sara joins countless others as a cancer survivor. Her story is a testament to the impact of local, community-led care.