Stage 4 Is Not the End: Alli’s Story of Appendix Cancer, Hope, and Healing
August is Appendix Cancer Awareness Month—a time to shine a light on a rare disease that is often misunderstood and overlooked. For survivors like Alli Macken, awareness is more than a campaign; it’s a lifeline.
Alli is a wife, a mother of four, and a survivor who has lived through stage 4 appendix cancer. Her journey shows the power of hope, second opinions, and resilience.
The Unexpected Diagnosis
In 2014, just two weeks after giving birth to her fourth child, Alli felt sudden abdominal pain. Doctors suspected appendicitis, but pathology revealed a shocking truth: she had appendix cancer.
“I was holding my newborn when the doctor told me,” Alli remembers. “It felt like everything muted out. I couldn’t even process it.”
The Long Road of Surgeries and Treatments
Over the next several years, Alli endured multiple surgeries—including a right hemicolectomy, hysterectomy, and a grueling 12-hour HIPEC surgery (heated chemotherapy). Doctors removed her spleen, gallbladder, omentum, and more.
Each time she thought her cancer battle was over, it returned. Yet each time, she fought harder, supported by her husband, Jack, and her medical team at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Redefining Stage 4
For many, hearing stage 4 feels like the end. “Your first thought is: I’m going to die,” Alli admits. But thanks to advances in treatment, her doctors reframed it: We’re treating this as a chronic illness.
Today, Alli is NED—no evidence of disease. She lives with the understanding that recurrence is possible, but also with the knowledge that stage 4 is not a death sentence.
The Emotional Scars
Beyond the physical toll, cancer reshaped how Alli sees herself. “Every scar in the mirror reminds me of cancer,” she says. Chemo changed her hair, steroids changed her face, and fatigue lingers.
But Alli refuses to define herself by cancer. Instead, she reframes her journey: “I don’t say I’m sick—I say I’m healing.”
Lessons for Others
During Appendix Cancer Awareness Month, Alli wants patients and caregivers to remember:
Seek care at comprehensive cancer centers. Rare cancers need expert teams.
Always get second opinions. Options exist even when you’re told there are none.
Stay hopeful. Research is advancing, and new treatments arrive every year.
Think of healing, not sickness. A mindset shift matters.
No Expiration Date
Today, Alli celebrates milestones big and small—her children’s birthdays, anniversaries, and simply waking up each day.
“There is no expiration date stamped on us,” she says. “Stage 4 is not a death sentence. You just keep pushing. You don’t have to be positive all the time, but you do have to keep going.”
This August, let Alli’s story remind us why awareness matters—because awareness leads to research, research leads to treatments, and treatments give families like hers more time.
About the Patient Story
The Patient Story shares authentic patient experiences with compassion and scientific rigor. Starting with cancer and expanding to other conditions, the platform combines patient narratives with medically vetted information on symptoms, clinical trials, insurance, and support—presented in a human-centered way.
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This blog was reviewed by Dr. Sourabh Kharait.
This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment plan, hydration strategies, or diet. The information provided here is based on general insights and may not apply to individual circumstances.
