‘Live my life out loud’: P.E.I. woman battling cancer encourages others to ‘just live’

Prince Edward Islander Michelle Hughes is documenting her cancer journey daily, while encouraging others to live and embrace the joy in everyday. (Source: Facebook / My Journey to Just Live)

Michelle Hughes is on a journey to ‘just live,’ and she’s encouraging others to do the same.

The 38-year-old Prince Edward Islander from Cornwall is a mother of three young children. She’s also battling stage four incurable cancer.

Four years ago, and three weeks after giving birth to her third child, Hughes was diagnosed with stage four Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, or EHE. The Canadian Cancer Society describes EHE as ‘a cancerous (malignant) tumour that starts in the blood vessels.’ At the time, an oncologist gave her three to five years to live.

“Obviously, I was heartbroken and devastated and envisioned my husband raising our children all by himself. And that oncologist really left a mark in my heart thinking that I need to savour every moment moving forward for these children because they’re not going to remember me,” explains Hughes in an interview with CTV Atlantc.

“Thankfully, I came about another oncologist who was a sarcoma cancer specialist at the Princess Margaret (Cancer Centre). And she had said, ‘Sure, you could die in those five years. You could die in three years. But I have patients living for decades. And I have hope for you, so I want you to just live.’”

The conversation was a turning point for Hughes.

“That’s when I realized that tomorrow is not promised to anybody. And I took her slogan, and ran with it, literally. It changed my life. I decided to live my life out loud.”

She started by documenting her cancer battle online under the banner My Journey To Just Live. She also wanted to create daily posts with her husband, Ty, and young children as a family keepsake.

“For them to look back and see all the fun memories that we’ve captured, and all the joy that we’ve been chasing as a family. But it’s evolved into so much more as people actually started to read it and to follow along. And I never envisioned that in a million years, so that’s not at all what I set out when I started my journey to just live.”

Along with challenging herself physically, Hughes’ decision to ‘just live’ included a mind shift change.

“Like, things that you used to just take for granted in life are something that you value every moment of every day,” she says.

“For example, walking my children to the bus stop is my favourite part of my everyday, because when I get to stand there and see my two girls looking out the window back at me and I’m there smiling at them, it’s amazing. It’s a beautiful feeling because my four-year-old son’s hand, who I’m holding, he might not get that opportunity.”

Making an impact

People following her journey include over 96,000 on Facebook and 446,000 on Instagram. Her daily posts serve as a diary entry: experiences with the family, daily errands, feelings, life lessons and self reflection.

“It gives a raw, real perspective of what it’s like in my journey to just live because, you know, we could meet somebody else who has stage four cancer as well, but we might be walking completely different lives,” says Hughes.

“So, I always just reiterate that this is my journey to just live, and it’s been beautiful to connect with cancer survivors and survivors around the world, and just people suffering with chronic health conditions, and hearing from them how me living my life out loud has supported them, and it’s been so beautiful to be a part of.”

Michelle also has a podcast, and was featured in a documentary called The Journey Home, where she ran, cycled and swam a total of 120 kilometres from the Moncton Hospital to her home in P.E.I.

Forward thinking

Hughes is choosing to ‘just live’ alongside battling cancer.

“Unfortunately, right now, over the last few weeks my liver pain has come back, and it’s out of the norm for me. I’ll be going in my CT scan again next week.”

Hughes says the cancer she has is ‘considered incurable’ and there isn’t a ‘standard protocol’ for treating it. In the coming weeks, she’ll begin participating in a new clinical trial out of Toronto.

“It is not a pharmaceutically sponsored trial. So, all costs will be on us, but it’s not stopping us. We’re moving forward because we have hope that it’s going to help bring me back to stability as my cancer has been progressing since last year. It’s been growing every three months.”

Despite these challenges, Hughes isn’t slowing down. While preparing for the clinical trial to begin, she is also planning the third annual Just Live Fun Run in Cornwall, P.E.I. on Sunday, Aug. 24. More than 1,500 people have registered, and 500 race kits have been shipped to 12 countries for people who will be participating virtually.

“Last year alone we raised $108,000. All proceeds go to Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada, where they match every dollar.”

Hughes also has her sights set on her next endurance event in 2026.

“Next year will be my five year ‘cancerversary’ date. We have something really special we’ll be announcing in the coming months. It’s going to be so difficult, but I think it’s what my body needs and what I mentally need to get through this clinical trial because, obviously, I’m scared, and it’s going to be a rough journey. But I need something physically to set my body up for success and to mentally keep me in the game. And I’m really excited to announce this next endurance event that I’m about to do.”

As for anyone looking to ‘just live’ her advice is simple.

“Just live in the moment. It doesn’t cost money. You don’t have to exert yourself. It’s literally just standing in a moment that you don’t know you’ll have forever and just savouring it.”

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