Young mom on faith journey through rare cancer

(SUNMAN, Ind.) – A young wife and mother is on a faith-filled mission as she battles a rare form of cancer. 

31-year-old Morgan Robertson, of Sunman, was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer.

That diagnosis only affects about 1 in 100,000 people and the average age is typically around 60.

“I was misdiagnosed for 5 years because the cancer was overlooked due to my age even though I had every single symptom pointing towards this cancer,” Robertson said. 

She isn’t alone as another young mom from our area was diagnosed with a similar neuroendocrine tumor in April. Those two moms didn't know each other prior to their diagnoses, but have formed a close bond ever since.

Robertson is starting another stint this week at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and hopes her ongoing journey will inspire others to pursue God.

She doesn't go to church

The East Central graduate has never been one to go to church. She used to never talk about her faith either.

But, she always tried to pray at night but it was mostly for others she cared about.

“I often thought God wouldn’t want to help me when there are so many others who are much more heavily-devoted to their faith,” she explained. 

Back in December, she felt it was time to build a stronger relationship with God. 

It came at a time when she was dealing with medical issues, however, cancer was the furthest thing from her mind. 

“I was ready to have God fully in my life, so I asked for an assignment where I could serve him,” she recalled. 

She began to pray more and more often that God would give her that opportunity, however, there was no immediate change in her life. 

Getting the Diagnosis 

Morgan admits that she's struggled with anxiety most of her life. Nothing has ever really helped. 

On May 7, she received the devastating news about the Stage 4 diagnosis. That certainly didn’t help the anxiety. 

“For the next week I couldn’t eat and I couldn’t sleep. At times, it felt like I couldn’t breathe. It became a weight too heavy for me to carry,” she recalled. 

That’s when Morgan turned to God again and this time prayed for herself. She also asked if her pleas were being heard.

She understands some may think it's crazy, but here is what happened next: 

“That night, in my moment of distress and anxiety, something happened. I had a conversation with the Holy Spirit. I couldn’t see them but I knew they were there right at the end of my bed. The voice wasn’t audible besides inside of my head. But it was loud,” she said. 

That voice told her, “It was going to be a journey but it wasn’t my fight. It was his. I was just the vessel for something better. Something bigger.”

It was the first time in her life that she understood where her anxiety comes from: It’s from the things she can’t control. 

She felt a presence over her that said, “Give it all to God. It’s too heavy to carry on your own.”

Morgan says her anxiety is completely gone following that night and for those who know her personally, this is completely true! 

“I have a peace that is truly unexplainable because God does unexplainable things. God has shown up in my life fiercely every single day since,” she said. 

Since then, she was told it would take up to 3 weeks to get pre-approved into the Mayo Clinic. She was approved in 12 minutes. 

She was then told it would take at least a week for a Mayo doctor to accept her case. It was accepted in less than 12 hours. 

Morgan has traveled back-and-forth to the Mayo Clinic for the past two months, and is there again this week.

“My medical team is mind blown at how well my body is responding to treatment. My blood levels are better than they have ever been in my life. God did that,” she explained.

She added, “To others, my cancer diagnosis is defeat and anger. But to me it’s all faith and peace. I asked him to give me a job. And he did.” 

Morgan's Words:

The more I speak about God and tell my story and how he is moving in my life, the more good he continues to bring.

My story has brought me so many others who never felt worthy of his love and faithfulness who are now turning to prayer and giving themselves back to God. 

And I think that is why I must walk through this valley. 

I’m now being used to find the lost, the broken, and the ones who have never felt worthy. 

God is using my journey to show none of us are too lost for him. None of us are too broken. He will meet us where we are. We just need to allow him into our lives. 

This isn’t a story about my cancer. This is a story of revival. This is a story about God and how He hears us, how He sits with us in our heartbreak, and how He will always provide and give you back something better than you can ever imagine.

To some, my diagnosis seems like a death sentence. But it’s far from that. God is giving me my life back. 

--- Morgan Robertson

EDITORS NOTE: Morgan would love to connect with others who are either battling cancer, another battle, or simply wanting to discover their own faith, but don't know the questions to ask. Send The 812 a message and we'll connect you with Morgan. She'd love to hear from you! (It all stays private!)