My Story One Year Later 

Hi, my name is Rose, and about a year ago I shared a little bit of my thyroid cancer journey with Sandy Souls. A lot has happened since then, so I wanted to share where I am today.

My journey actually started with my sister. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after something was discovered during a routine sports physical. I went to appointments with her and, as I listened to everything she had been experiencing, I started realizing that some of it sounded familiar.

I decided to get myself checked, but at first I didn’t feel like my concerns were being taken seriously. I knew my body and knew something wasn’t right, so I kept advocating for myself until I finally got the testing and biopsy I had been asking for.

A few days before my 21st birthday, I opened MyChart and saw the word I never expected to see: cancer.

Last year, I had my thyroid removed. Since then, I’ve had to adjust to life without it... daily medication, bloodwork, appointments, hormone changes, fatigue, and learning what my new normal looks like.

One of the biggest things this experience has taught me is to listen to your body.

Some things to look out for are a lump or swelling in your neck, pressure or fullness in your throat, trouble swallowing or breathing, persistent hoarseness or changes in your voice, swollen lymph nodes, neck or throat pain, and fatigue. Changes in energy, weight, heart rate, mood, or your menstrual cycle can also be signs that something may be going on with your thyroid.

These symptoms don’t automatically mean thyroid cancer, but if any of them sound familiar or something just doesn’t feel right, please go see a doctor and get checked.

Something I never knew before going through this is that 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder in her lifetime, and women are 5–8 times more likely than men to experience thyroid problems. Thyroid cancer is also diagnosed almost three times more often in women than men.

And now, a year after having my thyroid removed, I got the news I had been praying for:

There is no evidence of cancer or thyroid tissue left in my body. 

There will still be checkups, bloodwork, medication, and that little bit of anxiety that comes with it all, but I am so grateful. Grateful that I listened to my body, grateful that I advocated for myself, grateful for the people who stood beside me, and especially grateful that I get another day.

I also want to say a huge thank you to Sandy Souls for continuing to use her platform to raise awareness for thyroid cancer. When we first met, she gave my sister and me butterfly necklaces because of the special meaning the butterfly has to the thyroid cancer community. A year later, that butterfly means even more to me. 

Thank you, Sandy Souls, for caring about this cause, for sharing my story, and for helping more people learn what to look out for. You’re truly the best, and I’m so grateful our paths crossed.

If there’s one thing I hope you take from my story, it’s this:

Know your body. Listen when something doesn’t feel right. Ask questions. Advocate for yourself. And if you don’t feel heard, find someone who will listen.

If sharing my story helps even one person get checked, then it’s worth it.

- Rose