Author Archives: Sarah Franz

Every year on the anniversary of my cancer diagnosis I put pen to paper and blinking cursor to text. Except this year. Today is a week since that date on the calendar: April 27th. A week since the 4th time that date has caused me pause. Did I not realize the date? Did I notContinue reading “Four (4) years.”

We are blown away to share Pies for Purpose 2024 is officially SOLD OUT! Thank you for the support for Breast Cancer Research Foundation and helping us honor Amber. The donation page (link here) will stay open through bake day. Your generosity despite the pies being sold out is so heartwarming! In 2020 I wantedContinue reading “Here we go again: Pies for Purpose is back!”

Three (3) years. I’m learning to love and appreciate my story, even when it was once a source of so much pain. Growth is beautiful. Some lessons I’ve learned since hearing the news cancer would be a part of my story: Three years. Grief to gratitude: a paradox I’m oddly grateful for.

I still have the voicemails from when my doctor called on April 26, 2021 and April 27, 2021 requesting I return her call as soon as possible. I should have heard the words that changed by life on the 26th, but I waited until the 27th to return her call. I knew what was onContinue reading “Two years.”

Happiest new year, everyone!   I hope the transition from 2022 into 2023 has been one of reflection, gratitude and hope. I recognize some may have been counting down the days until they could rip the physical 2022 calendar off the wall and throw it in the past, never once glancing in the rearview mirrorContinue reading “Signing off.”

In 2020 I wanted to do something rooted in giving back for my birthday, and ultimately the concept of Pies for Purpose was born. The idea was simple — people made a minimum donation to a nonprofit they loved, and in turn they were able to order a homemade pie. From there a dear groupContinue reading “Pies for Purpose is back!”

I have looked at a blinking cursor for over an hour now. Typing, deleting, starting over, stumbling over how to turn the thoughts in my head into penned words. …and yet I know this will end up being a lengthy entry. I hope you’ll hang with me, because there is a lesson (or atleast aContinue reading “In Memory: a lesson within loss.“

This past Thursday I had surgery to remove the chest port + catheter into my neck. Taking the port out means my care team is as confident as they can be no further treatment will be needed to fight HER2+ breast cancer. As with everything in the space of cancer this should be a milestoneContinue reading “Learning to live”

One week ago I walked into the Cancer Center for my {God willing} final infusion, marking the end of any active treatment I will receive for breast cancer. In the last 14 months I have navigated (in no particular order):3 mammograms3 ultrasounds1 needle breast biopsy1 needle lymph node biopsy1 ABUS64 trips to the Cancer Center15Continue reading “Chapter Closed: Active Cancer Treatment”

April 27, 2021. 12 months. 365 days. 8,760 hours. 525,600 minutes. ago. That many months, days, hours, minutes since life drastically changed. I remember all of the questions, thoughts and concerns that occupied my mind immediately and somehow also simultaneously feeling completely numb. The deep, heavy fear that overtook every ounce of my body. Here’sContinue reading “Oh hey, diagnosis day.”