This morning I woke up with a heavy heart. My husband and I got ready, not for work or a pleasant outing, but to go and pray with a dear friend in the hospital. He’s been battling stage 4 liver and esophageal cancer since last year. Now, his doctors in Georgia have given up hope, essentially waiting for the inevitable. We went not only to offer our prayers but also to make sure he was ready for eternity and to finalize his memorial arrangements.

Sadly, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this kind of hopelessness handed down like a prescription.

In 2023, my own husband was diagnosed with liver cancer right here in Georgia. The so-called “specialists” didn’t even pause to discuss options. Instead, they immediately tried to put him on hospice care and told us he had three months to live.

Three. Months.

We refused to accept that.

We packed our bags and headed to New York—where the difference was like night and day. In Manhattan, we found doctors who weren’t stuck in the past. They didn’t look at my husband and see a lost cause. They saw a person, a fighter, someone worth trying for. And they didn’t just try—they succeeded.

The treatment plan they created was tailored, advanced, and forward-thinking—not the “cookie cutter” chemotherapy and radiation combo that so many southern oncologists default to. In fact, some of these treatments were part of cutting-edge research that my husband and his team in New York helped pioneer. Today, my husband is thriving. Living proof that liver cancer is not an automatic death sentence.

What breaks my heart is knowing how many others won’t get that chance—simply because they live in the South.

Doctors here, particularly in Georgia, are so rigidly loyal to outdated treatment methods that they are literally killing their patients. It’s no surprise Georgia is overwhelmed with medical malpractice suits. The negligence is staggering. And what’s worse is that many of these doctors won’t even consider newer, more effective options.

I’m writing this because I am tired of staying quiet. Something needs to be said—and something needs to change.

To anyone in Georgia or anywhere in the South currently facing a cancer diagnosis: Do not settle for the first opinion. Do not accept hospice if your gut tells you there’s still hope. And do not be afraid to leave the state if necessary.

If you can travel, head north—go to New York. The healthcare system there is not only among the best in the world, but it’s also equipped with financial grants and resources to help you live there while receiving treatment. If New York isn’t an option, consider Tennessee or Texas—states that at least show some signs of progress.

Liver cancer—or any cancer—doesn’t mean your story is over. It means the fight begins. And it’s a fight worth every effort.

Please, if this message strikes a chord with you, share it. You might just save someone’s life.

If you’d like more information about the resources and options available, comment below—I’d be honored to offer guidance and share everything we’ve learned.

And if this post has helped you in any way, consider tipping me over on Buy Me A Coffee. Every little bit supports my ability to keep sharing these messages that matter.

With hope and determination,

Amanda Sherrell