Cancer fighter hopes for good news in 2023

Shaunice Dean has had an extremely challenging year. The 29-year-old woman, who is putting up a fierce battle against colon and liver cancer, was given a year to live by her doctors after episodes of intensive treatments.

As 2022 comes to a close, Dean is stepping into 2023 with optimism. Her only hope is that she can beat this dreadful disease in order to see her nine-year-old son flourish into adulthood.

"I am waiting to go back to the doctor in two weeks to hear the plans. I don't know what the plans are as yet but there is more work to be done. There is still cancer in my liver but I need to do a scan to see how much there is. I had started treatment before I did my surgery (to remove parts of her colon) and it wasn't working so that is why I stopped taking it," Dean said.

Dean was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer in 2020, after initially being treated for acid reflux for almost a year. Her condition worsened within two years, progressing to stage 4, which eventually led to the gloomy 'one year to live' prognosis.

"I am looking forward to life and I need this to be the end of this entire journey. I need a successful surgery because the two before weren't," she said.

As she continues to fight, Dean makes beautiful memories with her son daily, many of which she documents on her TikTok page. She also continues to write letters to the youngster detailing her undying love for him.