A Cancer Patient’s Journey to ‘Just Live’: Michelle Hughes

Raise the Line

2024 is the year today’s Raise the Line guest, Michelle Hughes, is supposed to die. That’s according to the diagnosis she received three years ago from an oncologist who told her she had a rare, incurable form of cancer that had already caused innumerable tumors throughout her body. As a mother of three – with her youngest child being just a few weeks old at the time of her diagnosis – this was obviously devastating news. But fortunately, the optimism and encouragement of a second oncologist allowed for a new path forward. “It changed my entire world when that one doctor had hope,” she tells host Lindsey Smith.

Fueled by the advice of her new doctor “to just live your life” Michelle embraced a healthy lifestyle that includes distance running, including a recently completed triathlon. She has also embraced the role of empowering others to face their challenges through “My Journey to Just Live” an organization she created that keeps her busy doing a blog, social media posts, speaking engagements fundraisers and other activities. Join us for a special edition of our Year of the Zebra series focused on rare diseases to learn about Michelle’s challenging journey to motherhood, being a parent to three young children, and living with terminal cancer. “I remind my children and myself that cancer doesn't define me. I'm so much more than that.”

For information on the November 16th online premiere of a documentary about Michelle’s story, visit My Journey to Just Live