In 2021, at 32 years old, I was diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). a rare and aggressive cancer that affects only one in a million people in the U.S. each year. Shortly after undergoing an adrenalectomy and having my 24cm tumor removed, the cancer returned in multiple places: four spots on my spine, two on my hips, one on my shoulder, as well as in my liver and lungs.
Since then, I’ve undergone various treatments, including oral chemotherapy, radiation, infusion chemo, and multiple liver ablations. For the past two and a half years, I’ve been on a combination of chemo (Lenvatinib) and immunotherapy (Keytruda), and I’m incredibly grateful to share that my tumors have remained stable or have shrunk. Today, none of them light up on a PET scan, which means they aren’t showing any signs of active cancer.
In 2025, after losing my dear friend and fellow ACC warrior Emerald, a few of us in the ACC community came together to launch Adrenal Cure Collective, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and funding for ACC research. Thanks to the incredible support of our board, sponsors, and donors, we hosted the first annual ACC Warrior Weekend in November 2024 and donated $60,000 to ACC research at the NIH.
Because ACC is so rare, we get very little funding, but WE STILL MATTER, which is why we need your help!
Now we’re gearing up for ACC Warrior Weekend 2025, and I’d love for you to be part of it. Whether you join us for the Adrenaline Rush 5k in Washington, DC or participate virtually from wherever you are, you can register on my team and complete a 5K anytime between October 26 and November 9, 2025.
If you're in Los Angeles, I’ll also be hosting a local meet-up to walk the 5K together on Sunday, November 2. Location details coming soon!
I do this for Emerald...for her courage, her advocacy, and the way she made every one of us feel less alone. I carry her spirit with me in every step, and I’ll keep fighting for a future where no one has to face this diagnosis without hope.
