Sharon

Diagnosed in January 2016 at 26 years old; passed away in May 2023

I’m Sharon Ward, a 32 year old who loves her cats, her fiancé, and binge watching television.

In 2015, I ended up in the ER in pain I had never experienced before. I had a knot in my abdomen that had been growing that seemed to be the center of the pain. It took months, but January 8, 2016, at 26 years old, I was diagnosed with Fibrolamellar.

The last 6 years have been a whirlwind of searching for my best options and trying to find the best treatment. I have been in just about every stage, shrinking/growing/stable. I’ve never been a candidate for liver resection, but treatment tends to keep me stable. I have been treated at The Cancer Treatment Center of America in Zion, IL, M. D. Anderson in Houston, TX, Rush in Chicago, IL, and even a few local hospitals.

A treatment plan of opdivo and gemzar with lenvima has been keeping me at stable for a while now, though we just learned immunotherapy has made me a celiac. Just one more obstacle to overcome!

As of now, I try my best to keep my strength up, but a positive attitude is always key! I believe we CAN find a cure.