ASHLAND, Va. — Sam Edall is surrounded by her family, nature, and lots of animals on her 15-acre farm in Ashland.
But the life she enjoys today came after years of serious medical crises that began in 2023, when she was expecting her first child.
"I ended up having to have an emergency C-section. While the C-section didn't cut the bowel, the blood supply to that part of it just completely stopped because I had lost so much blood from the C-section and from pushing for so long. So I ended up with a perforated bowel," Edall said.
After spending two months in the hospital and welcoming her daughter, Lucy, Edall and her husband were finally closing on their dream home when her health took another turn.
"I was in the shower and I felt a lump just kind of passively. I went and got a mammogram and they found breast cancer in my left breast and then they found a second cancer in my right breast. So stage 3 in my left, stage 1 in my right, two separate cancers at 34," she said.
Then, the very next day, another diagnosis.
"I get a call from my cardiologist and she's like, Sam, you have heart failure. Your heart is functioning at 35%," Edall said.
Edall had developed heart issues after giving birth to Lucy. Now she faced simultaneous treatment for both heart failure and breast cancer.
"Really scary with having Lucy, you know, all of a sudden I had this new purpose. It wasn't just about me," she said. "I've never wanted anything more than to be a mom, and it took a lot to get there."
Doctors at VCU Health began treating her heart immediately with medications, while doctors at Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center addressed the breast cancer.
The two teams coordinated closely throughout her care.
"They had to do different chemos for me because of my heart health and then with radiation because of where they had to aim, especially for that one lymph node, they had to very much try to avoid my heart because it was pretty much right on top of my heart," Edall said.
Edall underwent 20 rounds of chemotherapy, 33 rounds of radiation, a double mastectomy, and reconstruction — all while caring for a baby.
She turned to her community for help.
"I created an Excel sheet and just allowed my friends to sign up to come watch her on chemo days. It filled up within minutes," she said. "I feel like I always tear up at this point, but you never know how much people care about you until you go through something like this."
Edall credits the coordinated care she received at VCU Health for helping her feel supported throughout the process.
"All of my doctors were at VCU and they were all talking to each other. They would meet each week on a panel, talk about my case, and that included my cardiologist. I didn't feel like I was just another patient," she said.
Today, life is getting back to normal.
Edall is back to the things that bring her joy and she carries a new perspective with her.
"You come out a different person and you come out with an appreciation for life," she said.
Edall remains on medication for her breast health.
Some of that treatment caused her to go into menopause at the age of 37.
Her heart and bone density will require monitoring for the rest of her life due to the early onset of menopause.
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