Michelle Hughes thought the pain under her ribs during pregnancy was nothing serious—just another discomfort to endure. Doctors found what they believed was a harmless liver cyst and assured her it was nothing to worry about. Over the next five years, Michelle had three children, including a difficult pregnancy and emergency delivery. All the while, that pain quietly persisted.

Then, days after giving birth to her third child, Michelle collapsed at home. Scans revealed tumors in her lungs and liver. A biopsy confirmed Stage 4 epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), a rare and incurable cancer that had gone undetected for years. Doctors said she had only months to live. But a specialist offered a new perspective: she had already survived with cancer in her body—and she could still live.

Determined not to let her illness define her, Michelle began running—first short walks, then 5Ks, then races with her children in tow. On the third anniversary of her diagnosis, she completed a full triathlon: ocean swimming, biking, and running. Along the way, she began sharing her story online, building a massive community around her message: chase joy, even in darkness.

Today, Michelle continues to raise her children while marking each week she’s lived beyond her prognosis. Her goal now is simple but powerful: to see her youngest son off to his first day of school. She’s shown the world that even with terminal cancer, a full, beautiful life is still possible—one breath, one run, one memory at a time.