Kelsey Sorensen

My cancer journey started in early 2019. I was having constant headaches and feeling pretty crappy. I went to the dr and they tried a few things and then just ended on, "You are a young mom who doesn't get enough sleep." That didn't seem to settle right with me. Through divine guidance, I knew I needed to explore further.

I contacted several neurologists and was told the earliest they could get me in was October. Keep in mind this was early in the year, February/March-ish. I was resigned to give up when I knew I should try just ONE MORE. They told me they could get me in in May.

May comes and I go and the dr seems very worried. He told me I needed an MRI and needed to be back in his office within 48 hours. I was able to get an MRI that night and by the next morning I had an appointment with a neurosurgeon. The tumor was removed within a week of that appointment and about a month later, I was told it was a grade 4 Glioblastoma, the most deadly brain cancer. I was told I had 18-24 months to live.

I started chemo and radiation about a month later. I did radiation 5 days a week for 6 weeks and chemo for 9 months.

This all came at such a shock. At the time, I had a 3 and a 5 year old and I couldn't imagine by the time they were 5 & 7, they wouldn't have a mother. This was devastating. I was 30 years old and this was a disease that usually doesn't hit until much later in life.

With lots of support, great doctors and constant service from others, I am here today, 2.5 years later. I am grateful to not be currently in treatment but the effects of the cancer still linger. Many days I struggle to make it through a whole day without getting ill and or being exhausted. I am so grateful to be here today. I am currently on a "watch and wait" status where I get an MRI every 3 months and wait to continue treatment until it becomes aggressive again. I am so thankful to Hopebox for choosing me to be their wall of hope recipient.