Before March 2017, senior high school sweethearts, Mary Stanton Coltrane and Matthew Mills, had exactly what most would think about a normal relationship life.

Whenever it arrived time for university, the few encountered the difficulties of the long-distance relationship with Mary Stanton going to college in the University of vermont and Matthew attending college during the University of Virginia. But, like every single other obstacle thrown their means, they managed the modification head-on and managed to make it work.

After they graduated, they finally had the chance to reside in the city that is same. And after many years of long-distance communication and planing a trip to be with each other, it finally seemed as though the few could move ahead inside their relationship while they settled straight straight straight down together in Charlotte.

Which was until a cancer that is devastating stopped Mary Stanton inside her songs.

Cancer tumors at the chronilogical age of 23

In very early 2017, Mary Stanton started experiencing persistent, low-grade fevers. She visited medical practioners on a few occasions, never ever finding responses or relief. By February 2017, she ended up being nevertheless queasy.

Finally, an urgent care doctor X-rayed her upper body to eliminate pneumonia. That’s if they saw a glimpse of Mary Stanton’s enlarged lymph nodes, which suggested an even more severe underlying condition.

One test result in another, and she received her diagnosis—Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that starts in white bloodstream cells called lymphocytes, which live in the defense mechanisms. Significantly more than 8,000 brand new diagnoses are made every year, also it’s most typical to build up in very early adulthood, based on the United states Cancer Society.

“The diagnosis ended up being shocking, ” says Mary Stanton. “Cancer wasn’t back at my radar. I became during my 20s, and I also ended up being active and healthier.