Rhonda’s story: Writing her way through metastatic pancreatic cancer

Rhonda is a blogger on a mission. As an avid writer and reader, she’s maintained her personal blog for close to a decade. But in 2021, her writing took on a more meaningful purpose after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

With her friends and family wanting to know more about what was going on – and with Rhonda wanting to share her experience with others, blogging became therapeutic. “It was easier to write about pancreatic cancer than to talk about it,” says Rhonda.

A heavy diagnosis

Her experience with pancreatic cancer began in 2021 after she started experiencing a progression of symptoms: loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, itchy skin, darkened urine and changes in bowels. Rhonda was concerned, and her online searches suggested it was time to consult her doctor.

Rhonda recalls what happened next as tests, tests and more tests. Initial testing suggested a distended gallbladder could be the problem, but an MRI pointed to a different culprit. There was a mass at the head of Rhonda’s pancreas, blocking her bile duct and likely causing her symptoms. Additional testing was ordered, including a biopsy, and a biliary drain was performed to remove the excess bile. After about one month of testing, Rhonda received a diagnosis: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Rhonda says it wasn’t a total surprise. Her grandfather and one of his brothers both had pancreatic cancer. As it turned out, Rhonda’s only risk factor for pancreatic cancer was her family history.

Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage because people may not experience any symptoms until the disease has already spread. This can contribute to a relatively poor prognosis for people living with pancreatic cancer.ⁱ However, Rhonda was lucky because the cancer was caught before it had advanced beyond the pancreas and a few lymph nodes. The collection of symptoms that led Rhonda to her doctor meant an early diagnosis and surgery were possible for her. She was confirmed to be eligible for a Whipple procedure, which is a complex surgery with the intent to remove the cancer and prevent it from spreading by removing the head of the pancreas and reconstructing the digestive tract.ⁱⁱ

Writing her own story

Rhonda blogged throughout the journey: the diagnosis, Whipple recovery and six rounds of chemotherapy.

“Reading stories from survivors gave me hope and I wanted to do the same for other people. I wanted others to know they’re not alone,” says Rhonda.

By writing about the realities of life with cancer, Rhonda embraced candor and a strong sense of humor, publishing posts such as: “The Whipple procedure (at least the name is fun)” and “Chemotherapy is weird.” Her unique voice resonated far and wide. Remarks shared by friends and strangers alike thanked Rhonda for sharing her story.

Four years post-Whipple and as a long-term pancreatic cancer survivor, Rhonda continues to tell her story. Rhonda’s experiences are common to people living with many types of cancer, such as what she calls “scanxiety,” the anxiousness she feels prior to a cancer screening. She also shares the ups and downs. In 2024, a routine scan found the cancer was back and had spread to her lungs, but after recent treatment, Rhonda is hoping to be back in remission soon.

Rhonda says she experiences survivor’s guilt, knowing others with similar diagnoses don’t always make it as far as she has. Sharing her perspective and experiences, in hopes of helping others, is one way of working through her feelings. One day, Rhonda hopes to document her perspective in print and publish a collection of short stories.

“Cancer sucks, but it’s important to remember you don’t have to do it alone,” she says, calling her husband, college-aged son and friends her major supporters. Rhonda plans to continue writing about her experiences and doing what she can to help raise awareness of cancer, including about the importance of not dismissing early symptoms.

This is the unique experience of Rhonda and not representative of all people living with pancreatic cancer. For questions about your health or the health of a loved one, please talk to your doctor.

Rhonda was compensated for her time by Ipsen.

ⁱ Koltai T. Earlier Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer: Is It Possible? Cancers (Basel). 2023 Sep 5;15(18):4430. doi: 10.3390/cancers15184430. PMID: 37760400; PMCID: PMC10526520.

ⁱⁱ D’Cruz JR, Misra S, Menon G, et al. Pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple Procedure) [Updated 2024 Oct 6]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560747/