— Susan, 54

A family’s journey navigating complex cancer progression

At 54, having battled breast cancer for seven years, Susan received devastating news — the cancer had spread to her brain and showed signs of further metastasis. She was overwhelmed, as was her family. Connecting with an Ardynn advocate helped them cope, and helped shift their perspective to focus less on her disease and more on making the most of their time together and creating joyful moments amidst the difficult ones.

Situation

Breast cancer spread to brain and showing signs of further metastasis.

Priorities

Weighing treatment options and their impacts for Susan. Support and clarity of understanding for herself and her family. Creating joyful moments together.

Navigating the disease’s progression

The diagnosis
In November, Susan received a medical report that was hard to digest. At 54, with stage 4 breast cancer, the cancer had spread to her brain, causing blindness and pain — and showed signs of further metastasis. Susan had been fighting cancer for seven years with chemotherapy and targeted therapies. This news was a stark reminder of how relentless cancer can be. It devastated Susan, her husband, and their daughters.

Understanding the medical report
Susan was overwhelmed. A friend told her about a private advocacy service called Ardynn. Susan’s husband reached out on her behalf and was connected to an advocate with extensive experience assisting late-stage patients like her, especially transitioning from active treatment to hospice care. The advocate helped them understand the complex medical language in her report, explaining what the progression meant for her. They discussed potential treatments, weighing their benefits with Susan’s quality of life.

Assessing treatment viability
Her advocate arranged for her to meet with another oncologist to discuss her options. They talked about whether to continue aggressive treatment or switch to palliative care. The oncologist explained that while treatment might extend her life, it could also severely impact many aspects of her daily life. Susan’s advocate gathered more information, spearheaded additional conversations, and ultimately helped Susan and her husband make a decision that would prioritize her comfort and quality of life.

Supporting the whole family

Emotional support for family
Susan’s husband was struggling with his emotions while trying to support her, manage his job, and care for their daughters – as well as for his mother. The advocate held separate sessions with him, providing coping strategies, connecting him with support groups, and giving him resources on how to care for Susan while also looking after his own mental health. They emphasized finding joy and connection in these challenging times.

Transition to hospice care
As her condition shifted toward needing end-of-life care, the advocate helped Susan’s family understand what hospice could offer: comfort and dignity in her final months. They prepared the family for meetings with hospice providers, ensuring they matched Susan’s wishes for home-based care.

The goal: a perfect Christmas
Susan’s one big goal was to make it to Christmas. With her advocate’s help, they planned what would be a “perfect day” for Susan. They envisioned a small, intimate gathering where she could enjoy her favorite foods, listen to carols, and share stories with her loved ones.

Navigating the most difficult period
Throughout this time, Susan and her family benefitted from constant help and support from the advocate. This included help with insurance, organizing home care, and serving as a sounding board when decision after decision was overwhelming. They worked together on legacy projects like recording messages for Susan’s future grandchildren and creating a memory book, ensuring her presence would be felt even after she was gone.

Summing up

To say Susan’s journey has been challenging is an understatement. With Ardynn’s help, she and her family were able to shift their perspective to focus less on the disease and more on creating joyful moments that would one day become joyful memories. Susan did make it to Christmas, celebrating a day filled with love and laughter. She described it as “perfect”.

This story is illustrative based on a real Ardynn case; name and likeness of the member has been changed to respect their privacy.

“There are no words to describe the value of Ardynn’s guidance and support. We feel fortunate to have access to this service even though we are not covered through our insurance. It is a worthy out-of-pocket cost.”

SUSAN