Woods Family
Cancer Fight

Our family’s life took a sudden change of course in November 2023 when I (Lindsey) received a very unexpected diagnosis of an osteosarcoma tumor in my right femur – a rare type of bone cancer that doesn’t typically affect adults my age. I had been experiencing some mild pain and weakness in my right knee on and off for a few months and finally decided to go to the doctor to have it checked out the week before Thanksgiving. What I had assumed was just a symptom of getting older and my body physically breaking down in one small area quickly escalated into a much more serious situation after an x-ray, followed by an MRI, provided some pretty sobering results. Thankfully my doctor acted quickly to get me a referral to see an orthopaedic surgeon at the University of Iowa Hospital the week after Thanksgiving, leading to several more scans and appointments to determine just how serious this diagnosis was.

We were extremely grateful to learn by early December that no other areas of cancer were found in other bones or major organs! This news gave us the gift of time – time to consider all of our options for treatment, make a trip up to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for a second opinion, and most importantly, time to enjoy the holidays with our girls and families without worrying about starting any kind of treatment until after the first of the year. Both my surgeon and oncologist at the U of I Hospital were supportive of this request, which gave me peace of mind that I could continue processing this life changing situation we were facing.

December was a stressful month to say the least! However, there have been a few significant periods of time in my nearly 38 years of life when I've felt the presence of my Heavenly Father guiding my every thought, conversation and decision - and this was definitely one of those times. There was a shift in my fears, attitude and strength to face next steps, and I have no doubt that shift was God walking through this trial with me. I know He is near to me, Ben and our girls.

Our next several months will involve six cycles of in-patient chemotherapy (five weeks per cycle), along with surgery in early April after the first two cycles of chemo. And those of you who know me well also know I'll be doing ALL the natural, immune-boosting treatment methods I can along with the recommended medical plan! Because of the intense treatment schedule and the recovery time required throughout the process, I will be very limited in my ability to work. Thankfully I have a wonderful job and team to support me in this process until I can return full-time after my treatment and recovery is complete. Our family has never been more grateful for the love, support and encouragement we’re surrounded by as we continue to fight this cancer!