Watching the Mist and Clouds on My Late-Stage Cancer Journey, Singing a Mountain Song for You (Part 2) | Patient Story
[Continued from Part 1] Watching the Mist and Clouds on My Late-Stage Cancer Journey, Singing a Mountain Song for You (Part 1) | Patient Story
「 Treatment Interrupted 」
After her third surgery, Maggie quickly underwent two chemotherapy sessions. By the time the second session ended, Sichuan was under a strict lockdown due to a severe COVID-19 outbreak, forcing everyone into home quarantine. As a cancer patient, Maggie had no special privilege to leave for treatment. Because the local central hospital refused to follow the chemotherapy regimen prescribed by the provincial cancer hospital, Maggie grew extremely anxious. She frequently called the provincial hospital, begging for a way to continue her treatment, but they could only say there was truly nothing they could do under the circumstances.
For the first time since falling ill, Maggie stopped shuttling between hospitals and spent long, intimate days at home with her family. If not for the increasingly severe cancer pain that made it unbearable to sleep through the night, she might have considered this a brief respite from her long treatment journey—a precious chance to catch her breath.
After the third surgery, her medical oncologist recommended another genetic test. Holding the report while enduring severe abdominal pain, Maggie consulted members of the Panda Group to see if there were better medication options. A veteran group member, Jinlong, suggested she try joining a G12C clinical trial. It was through the G12C group that Maggie met Teacher Cai, a dedicated clinical trial recruitment coordinator. Following her advice, and taking advantage of a slight easing of pandemic restrictions during the National Day holiday, Maggie decided to visit Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center for a consultation, with her husband on leave to accompany her.
However, their original medical plan was suddenly disrupted. Life is always like that; we never know whether an accident or a surprise will come first.
Her husband’s cousin’s wife suddenly passed away. Unaware of Maggie’s illness, her parents-in-law simply urged her husband to return home immediately for the funeral. With the consultation scheduled for October 6th and her abdominal pain becoming unbearable, Maggie swallowed her grievances and suppressed the anger brought on by her physical suffering. She told her husband, “It’s okay. Go to the funeral. I can handle it alone.”
When the plane landed in Shanghai and she sat alone on the subway to the hospital, Maggie was suddenly overwhelmed by profound sorrow, feeling utterly miserable. She understood that her parents-in-law were simply unaware of the truth. Moreover, her husband’s second sister had always been dedicated to caring for her during treatment, often saying, “If one person falls, the other must stay standing to earn money and support the family.”
Therefore, the second sister insisted that Maggie’s husband continue working while she took care of Maggie’s daily needs at the hospital during the day. When the second sister learned that Maggie was traveling to Shanghai alone, she immediately called to offer to fly from Hubei to accompany her. Deeply moved but unwilling to burden her sister-in-law further after all her selfless support, Maggie gathered her strength and firmly told her she could manage on her own.
「 Third Recurrence 」
After staying one night at a guesthouse near the hospital, Maggie met with Teacher Cai the next day. With her help, she successfully registered and consulted the doctor. After briefly reviewing her treatment history, Maggie mentioned that she could feel two very hard lumps on her abdomen, one as large as an egg. The doctor replied that there was no need to palpate them; they were undoubtedly metastatic lesions. He added that the local hospital doctors might not have told her, but it was certainly metastasis.
The doctor then introduced the D1553 clinical trial and informed Maggie that if she wanted to enroll, she would need to live in Shanghai for the next year. The D1553 combined with cetuximab regimen required weekly administration. Additionally, given the high uncertainty of traveling from Mianyang to Shanghai during the pandemic, staying in Shanghai was the safer option.
Hearing this, Maggie faced an incredibly difficult decision. At that moment, she wished more than anything that her husband were by her side so they could discuss it properly. Thinking of her young daughter in elementary school, whom she had rarely been separated from despite her cancer battle, she realized she needed someone to care for her. Staying in Shanghai long-term was not a decision she could make lightly.
Sitting outside the consultation room, Maggie was suddenly overwhelmed by a mix of complex emotions. She began to weep silently, crying for a long, long time, and thinking for a long, long time.
As her emotions gradually settled, she resolutely told Teacher Cai that she had decided to decline enrollment, expressing her sincere gratitude for her help. “I said I wasn’t willing to spend my remaining time alone in Shanghai. I felt I should stay with my child, my husband, and my family. I thought this might be my final chapter, so that’s what I believed at the time. Then I decisively bought a flight ticket back the next day,” Maggie said with a smile.
However, it was precisely this consultation in Shanghai that led the doctor to order a series of imaging tests for Maggie. The final results confirmed the doctor’s initial assessment: Maggie had metastases in the left vaginal fornix and abdominal wall, with suspected liver metastasis.
「 Successful Enrollment 」
After returning to Mianyang, Maggie stayed in close contact with Teacher Cai. Though a recruiter, Cai was deeply moved by Maggie’s optimism and resilience. She submitted Maggie’s information to the trial team again. After reviewing it, the trial doctors agreed that Maggie’s condition was indeed suitable for the current clinical trial. They helped her find the nearest trial site to Mianyang: Xi’an International Medical Center.
Since the high-speed rail from Mianyang to Xi’an takes only about two and a half hours, Maggie gladly agreed to enroll. She began treatment on November 1, 2022, with the regimen of D1553 plus cetuximab, administered weekly.
Because Maggie had traveled alone to Shanghai for her consultation during the National Day holiday, her husband’s second sister took the opportunity to inform her mother-in-law about the illness. This simple rural woman, who had always treated Maggie like her own daughter, was heartbroken to learn of all the suffering her daughter-in-law had endured. She immediately traveled from her hometown to Mianyang and decided to accompany Maggie to Xi’an for treatment. Thus, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law began a year-and-a-half journey of traveling back and forth between the two cities. This continued until April 2024, when the clinical data collection ended. Maggie then stayed at home to continue receiving the trial’s complimentary D1553 medication for free.
Fortunately, her initial choices and efforts were not in vain. After enrolling in the trial, Maggie experienced significant benefits. The constipation and unbearable abdominal pain, likely caused by obstruction, were quickly relieved. The lumps on her abdominal wall became almost unpalpable. The suspected liver lesions mentioned by the trial team were ruled out after a Primovist-enhanced MRI and consultation with Director Xing at Peking University Cancer Hospital on April 25. Meanwhile, the initial 7 cm metastasis in the vaginal fornix shrank to just over 2 cm, and currently measures around 3 cm.
「 Fourth Recurrence 」
Although enrolling in the trial played a crucial role in effectively extending Maggie’s life, recurrence did not stop the disease’s relentless march. In November 2024, during a routine imaging follow-up, a non-contrast chest CT suggested possible lung metastasis, with ongoing issues in the peritoneum and vaginal fornix.
At the time, Director Deng Yanhong from the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University was providing medical support in Chongqing. Following group members’ advice, Maggie consulted Director Deng. She recommended adding oxaliplatin and fluorouracil chemotherapy to the existing D1553 and cetuximab regimen. This treatment plan has continued to the present day.
Maggie does not know where her future path will ultimately lead, but her five-year battle with cancer has given her profound insights into life. “For example, bad luck and good luck always come hand in hand. Although I often encounter unfortunate events, I always meet helpful people along the way. I believe the future will be the same,” she said.
Life will always have light; it will not remain in darkness forever.
「 Family Support 」
Maggie has always been deeply grateful for the immense support her husband provided throughout her treatment. He not only quietly accompanied her to every session but also constantly researched her condition. Despite his inner pain, he always offered her the fullest emotional support, demonstrating unwavering commitment through his actions.
Maggie’s daughter is now 13 years old. When Maggie was diagnosed, her daughter had just started first grade. Over the five years of fighting cancer, Maggie has watched her little girl grow into a graceful young teenager. Unlike Maggie’s outgoing nature, her daughter is a quiet, reserved child, much like her father. Due to her young age, she initially had no concept of life, death, or cancer.
Since the first recurrence, Maggie constantly wondered how to gently help her daughter gradually accept the possibility that she might one day leave. From her daughter’s first breath to her first steps, Maggie had witnessed every milestone. Even after her diagnosis, she never missed a moment of her daughter’s growth. Whenever she wasn’t undergoing treatment, Maggie’s energy and physical comfort were nearly normal. Thus, picking up her child from school and cooking meals gradually became a sweet burden she deeply cherished.
At night, Maggie loved squeezing into her daughter’s small bed to chat. Her daughter would happily share stories about her class, new friends, teacher’s praise, and little worries. Maggie listened intently, rejoicing with her, playfully sharing her frustrations, and offering praise. Watching her daughter’s adorable sleeping face, she would gradually drift into sweet dreams herself...
As her daughter grew older, Maggie consciously began discussing life, aging, illness, and death with her. Finally, she gathered the courage to gently explain, in a calm tone, that sometimes Mommy experiences severe pain because she has cancer. But she promised to fight the illness diligently to stay by her side longer, to watch her grow up. “This is Mommy’s life lesson. Daddy’s job is to work hard and support the family. Your job is to study well and keep improving. See, our family of three must all work hard, so we can stay together forever.”
Recalling this moment, Maggie said that her daughter, whom she had always thought was carefree and unaware, stared at her intently after hearing those words. Under the dim light, her daughter’s eyes were dark and deep. Suddenly, she began to cry silently, tears streaming down her face until it was completely wet. In that moment, Maggie realized her daughter had known everything all along; she just never said it. Maggie remembered how every Friday afternoon, her daughter would walk home alone from school while Maggie traveled to Xi’an for weekend treatment. She had thought she was successfully fostering her daughter’s independence, but in reality, it was her young daughter summoning courage, using her maturity to put her mother at ease.
「 About Insurance 」
Maggie summarized that besides family support, what sustained her treatment was a million-yuan medical insurance policy purchased before her diagnosis, which greatly alleviated the financial burden. She was grateful for the awareness her profession had given her. After her diagnosis, she truly felt that “insurance is something you think is useless when you’re asked to buy it, but becomes incredibly vital when you fall ill.” Through this interview, she wants to remind other group members to secure their own insurance coverage in advance.
「 Emotional Relief 」
At the end of the interview, when asked how she copes with the psychological pressure of fighting cancer, Maggie mentioned that when feeling down, she likes to write private diary entries on QQ Zone, pouring her worries and thoughts into the pages. “It makes me feel incredibly light. I think writing this diary is the absolute best way for me to process my emotions. I write down every messy thought and let it all out.”
「 A Message to Everyone 」
Maggie said that “Do your best, and leave the rest to fate” is her motto. She believes that as long as you do everything within your power, you will have a clear conscience.
Postscript: At the 2025 Spring Festival Gala, Faye Wong sang, “The world gifted me the chirping of insects, and gifted me thunder; gifted me a crescent moon, and gifted me evening stars; gifted me an illness, and slowly healed me, ringing wind chimes.” As we welcome the New Year of 2025, may Maggie’s beautiful story also be blessed by grace. May she carry healing wind chimes, watch the mist, clouds, and neon sceneries through the four seasons, and forever sing to her little family. [by Guangguang]
To protect patient privacy, names used in this article are pseudonyms. Images featuring the patient’s portrait have been authorized by the patient and may not be used without permission.
< Small Donation Channel Certified by Charity China >
Patient Stories | Click text to jump
Beijing Middle-Aged Man's Notes on Fighting Late-Stage Colon Cancer | The Panda Star's Anti-Cancer Black Magic | A Ming: Accompanying My Mother Through Two Years of Liver and Lung Metastatic Colon Cancer Treatment | Qingcao: Sharing Liver Metastatic Colon Cancer Treatment | Siblings' Deep Bond: Four Years of Treating Colon Cancer with Liver Metastasis | Xiao Li: A Patient's Self-Narrative on Fighting Cancer | Sister Xiuxiu: The Treatment Journey for Colon Cancer with Liver and Ovarian Metastasis | Brother Guo: The Tenacious Treatment Path for Colon Cancer with Peritoneal Metastasis | Naonao: The Self-Rescue Journey After Recurrence of Colon Cancer at 27 | Sister Tudou: A 7-Year Anti-Cancer Journey with Lung and Brain Metastatic Colon Cancer | Anti-Cancer Beauty Yuanyuan: Living On with a Smile | Jinxia: A 4-Year Treatment Journey for HER2-Positive Gastric Cancer | The Grumpy Grandpa's Battle with Gastric Cancer | Mickey: The Treatment Path for Late-Stage Gastric Cancer at 31 | Summary from a Colon Cancer Patient's Family Member (Including Care Guide) | Alison: Treatment for HER2-Positive Late-Stage Colon Cancer | From Stage IV Gastric Cancer to Complete Remission | 78 Liver Metastatic Lesions Are Not a Death Sentence | The Late-Stage Cancer Patient Who Entered the ICU Due to Infection Is Now Tumor-Free | Panda Group Member Story: Weihua 1 | From Diagnosis to Recurrence | Panda Group Member Story Yang Yong | Heaven Moves Vigorously, the Gentleman Strives Unceasingly | The Cruel Truth Behind Treatment Value: Why Some Patients Are Not Advised to Seek Treatment in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou | Anti-Cancer Blogger Fengzi Passes Away: Who Will Care for Young Patients Fighting Cancer Alone? | Old Chen: What It's Like to Join a CAR-T Clinical Trial, Over Three Years with Liver and Lung Metastatic Colon Cancer | Sister Yangguang: Life Should Not Lose Its Color Because of Illness | Yang Yong | Heaven Moves Vigorously, the Gentleman Strives Unceasingly | Weihua 1 | From Diagnosis to Recurrence | Diagnosed with Colon Cancer at 16 Weeks Pregnant: Her Struggle and Rebirth | What Kind of Life Do You Want to Live? Running the Best Marathon Time After Colon Cancer Surgery | A True Record of Treating Colon Cancer with Peritoneal Metastasis
Doctor-Patient Communication | Click text to jump
Peking University Cancer Hospital Shen Lin: 2023 Advances in Immunotherapy for Colon Cancer | Step-by-Step Guide for Colon and Gastric Cancer Patients on How to Seek Medical Care
Peking University Cancer Hospital Xing Baocai: Doctor-Patient Communication on Liver Metastatic Colon Cancer
Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center Chen Gong: Can Surgery Be Performed Immediately After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis? | Discussing Surgery for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastasis | Discussing Treatment Strategies for Colorectal Liver and Lung Metastasis | Maintenance Therapy and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer | Patient Group Case Analysis Q&A (Part 1) | Patient Group Case Analysis Q&A (Part 2)
Fudan University Cancer Hospital Cai Guoxiang: Patient Group Communication Q&A Record
Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center Wang Fenghua: Patient Group Communication Record
Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University Sixth Affiliated Hospital Xiao Jian: Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy, and Immunotherapy for Late-Stage Gastric Cancer
Beijing Friendship Hospital Yao Hongwei: Tests Rectal Cancer Patients Need and How to Read the Reports