Lee Ann Stroud

In Dec. 2007, our lives were forever changed when our mother was diagnosed with cancer.  What we didn’t know, was how much.  This was the first of many unknowns.  The doctors initially believed her cancer to be kidney cancer because that’s where the tumor first showed up in a scan, but after the biopsy was completed, we received a diagnosis of Cancer of Unknown Primary.  Up until this point, we never even knew it was possible to not know the primary origin of where the cancer started.  We thought all cancers were diagnosable.

 You’ll notice that we use the word “we” a lot, and that’s because this was definitely a family diagnosis and a journey that we took together.  We were blessed to have the love and support of family, friends, coworkers, and many others that we never met.  Mom gained strength from this support and it was critical to the success of her treatment.  This was apparent when her final words to us were, thank you for extending my journey.

 A cancer diagnosis was a complete unknown to our family, but it was compounded with a Cancer of Unknown Primary diagnosis.  You are thrust into a world of tests, scans, doctor appointments, chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, and clinical trials; not knowing the best course of action, but knowing that you need to make a decision quickly.  Mom’s cancer was very aggressive – fast growing and fast spreading. So we were already up against the clock as we entered this unknown territory.  We looked toward cancer clinics for second and third opinions. After several tests were conducted, we still were not able to find the site of origin of this cancer.  2-4% of all unknown cancer patients never determine their cancer origin and that’s just where our mother’s remained.

 Thus, it has become our mission to ensure that no other person will have to battle cancer without knowing  the primary origin; especially with today’s medical advances.  Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) is the orphan of the cancer world.  Believe me, the patients and their families feel this intimately.  They feel it emotionally, physically, and in the treatments available to them.   It’s time to give back the dignity to these wonderful, courageous individuals that fight the fight to win this struggle with cancer.  What started out as Lee Ann’s fight is now mankind’s fight to end CUP.  We ask that you stand up with us and make a difference in making the unknown, known!

-Julie Hargesheimer, daughter of Lee Ann Stroud and Co-Founder of The Stroud Foundation