On January 7th, Sara had a CT scan that identified a concerning mass in her liver. The following day, January 8th, she had an MRI at Sauk Prairie Health, which raised strong concern for cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). On Monday, January 12th, she received the call from UW to schedule a biopsy and additional scans. By Friday January 16th the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was confirmed. Since then, it has been a whirlwind of appointments, conversations, and a lot of research as we worked to understand Sara’s diagnosis and determine the best possible path forward. Given Sara’s young age and the complexity of cholangiocarcinoma, a very rare and aggressive cancer, it became clear to us that seeking care at a highly specialized center would be important. After careful consideration, and reaching out on January 28th, we connected with Dr. Hop S. Tran Cao (Dr. HTC) at MD Anderson Cancer Center. We were incredibly grateful that his team moved quickly and was able to get Sara scheduled for further testing on Sunday, February 1st, with a full consultation planned for February 3rd. With that, Sara and I packed up and flew to Houston on January 31st, on one-way tickets, focused on getting answers, clarity, and the strongest treatment plan possible. While Sara is traveling for appointments, Nick and the family are holding everything together at home, caring for the girls, managing day-to-day life, and being a constant source of strength and encouragement for Sara from afar. With the loving support of their families, Nick’s steady presence allows Sara to focus fully on her health and treatment, knowing the girls are surrounded by care and love. There is still a lot we don’t know yet, but what we do know is that Sara and Nick are facing this with courage, determination, and grace. We are taking this one step at a time, and we are so thankful for the love, positive thoughts, messages, and support already pouring in. So many people have reached out asking how they can support Sara, Nick and our family and we are deeply grateful. Right now, the best ways to help are simple: Kind messages - Positive thinking, good energy, and words of hope and encouragement truly matter. Short messages here mean a lot, no pressure to have the “right words”, your presence is enough. Grace and patience - There may be times when Sara can’t respond right away. Please know this simply means rest and care are taking priority, and your understanding is truly appreciated. Meals & travel support - As Sara will be spending time in Houston, TX for care at MD Anderson, gift cards are incredibly helpful: -DoorDash or Uber Eats for meals -Visa or Mastercard gift cards to help offset travel and lodging expenses while away from home More than anything, please know that your love and support are felt every single day. We’ll continue to use this page to share updates as we learn more. Thank you for walking this road with us, it truly means everything. With love, Kristin -On behalf of Sara, Nick and Family