Sara D'Agostino

In Honor of Cass

On April 9 of 2024, my mom lost her battle with pancreatic Cancer. She was diagnosed in late 2022 with Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer and survived longer than most, about 17 months. My mom was a strong and inspiring woman who worked as an RN and also in administration most of her life.  She always lived a healthy lifestyle and enjoyed being outside, exercising and playing sports like tennis and pickle ball, which made the diagnosis so shocking.”How could someone so healthy have pancreatic cancer?”   As we quickly learned,  pancreatic cancer can happen to anyone. At the recommendations of her doctor she started with chemotherapy right away. As we all quickly witnessed, these drugs don’t mess around. She had already lost a significant amount of weight prior to her diagnosis, because of the incredible amount of pain she had been experiencing. She continued to lose weight as a result of the chemotherapy, but the nurse in her fought back and didn't give up! She became very regimented with her medicine and meals.  Every day she woke up and followed her routine like clockwork: medicine, Boost, medicine, Enterade, medicine, meals, medicine and sleep… wake up and repeat. She wrote everything down on paper, when she ate, when she took her medicine, what her symptoms were and what time she felt them. She tracked everything.  

The first 1-2 months were extremely difficult for her, but then she fell into a fairly predictable rhythm for the next 12 + months. Yes, she had side effects and a lot of them that fluctuated daily and hourly and after each treatment, like pain and nausea, and forgetfulness. She never felt hunger again or had food cravings after starting chemo, and of course she lost all of her hair. For those that loved and cared for her, watching her experience all of these and feeling helpless was painful. 

But during that following year, we were able to make the most of the good times, or shall I clarify, ‘better’ times. She took one plane trip to Savannah, GA. She went to a couple MLB games. We celebrated  2 Christmas Holidays together and baked Christmas cookies. Together with her family, she took a couple trips to the farm in PA and a few day trips to the Jersey shore. She got her ‘best medicine’ through time spent with her grand-nephew. He made her smile and laugh every week watching him play. And even though she did not get to see her grandson graduate from high school, she knew he would and was there watching from above. He is going to college in Savannah Georgia, where we all went together on her last plane ride.  This past year has definitely felt different. Many events were no longer shared in person, and instead through facetime or through pictures sent over the phone, but we were all very happy she was around to see them! 

In early March she began to experience excruciating headaches and worsening back pain. At first we did not know what the cause was, was it something unrelated to the cancer, or a side effect of the chemo and immunotherapy? By the time we got the MRI approved and scheduled the pain had progressed and become absolutely unbearable. On Easter weekend we took her to the ER. On Easter Sunday and Monday we found out the cancer had spread to her brain and spine, with a rare form of cancer called: leptomeningeal disease. By the time we found out what was happening, my mom had declined rapidly.  The following day we took her home with hospice care and 7 days later she passed away at home. My mom survived longer than most, just about 17 months since her official diagnosis. None of us, including her, expected this diagnosis. None of us, including her, expected the cancer to spread to her spine and brain. None of us, including her, were prepared to say goodbye so quickly. 

One year ago in November of 2023, we came together to walk for Pancreatic Cancer as a family, with my mom. One thing I learned as I looked around at those who were there at the walk last year, was that Pancreatic cancer affects so many: all races, both men and women, young and old.

Since my mom’s diagnosis I have met many others who have been affected and are being affected by this terrible terrible disease. I am raising money to help support the research needed to find a cure for this terrible disease.  All donations to the Lustgarten Foundation go 100% towards pancreatic cancer research. With your donations, you can  help families spend more time with their loved ones. Thank you.