FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Linda Hackler has four locks hanging on the Locks of Hope sculpture located outside of the Novant Health Derrick L. Davis Cancer Institute in Winston-Salem.
They each represent a year of life that few who are diagnosed with the cancer she had get to see.
“It’s a goal. It’s accomplishment,” she said.
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Hackler was diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer in November 2021. It’s rare and aggressive.
“Anaplastic thyroid cancer, unfortunately, is a very aggressive type of thyroid cancer. It is uncommon, quite rare, so… less than two percent of cancers are anaplastic thyroid cancer and, unfortunately, it’s considered stage 4 at diagnosis for all patients regardless of whether it has spread outside the thyroid. Unfortunately, because it’s so aggressive most of our patients only live months with this diagnosis,” Novant Health Oncologist Dr. Demetria Jacks said.
Road to Recovery
Learning more about the statistical odds of survival was “pretty devastating” for Hackler to hear. However, she knew she needed to fight…