Two Hearts, One Journey: Facing Cancer Side by Side

For 11 years, Dave and Melissa have navigated life side by side. A move to Florida marked the beginning of a new chapter—one that took an unexpected turn when they each were diagnosed with cancer—just 12 days apart.

Melissa had been managing cirrhosis, a disease that causes chronic inflammation and scarring of the liver, which can damage cells and increase the risk of abnormal cell growth. While she was hospitalized in April 2024 she learned that she had developed liver cancer. The only treatment that could offer a true cure would be a liver transplant.

Around this same time, Dave had been having trouble catching his breath. His doctor ordered imaging tests and referred him to Dr. Monique Sajjad, a medical oncologist and hematologist with Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS). Results of an initial PET scan came back negative. “Dr. Sajjad was not happy with that,” Dave recalls. “She was very persistent and repeated the test, and that’s when she found it—cancer on my right lung.”

The couple suddenly faced a new reality, supporting each other as they navigated the dual challenges of being both cancer patient and caregiver.

Dave underwent a lobectomy within two weeks of his diagnosis. One section of his lung (known as a lobe) was surgically removed to eliminate the tumor. “Just hearing the doctor say, ‘I’m pretty sure we got it all,’ was a huge relief,” Dave said.

After being discharged and returning home on oxygen, he had to learn how to walk again. Shortly after, he developed sepsis and ketoacidosis, a severe metabolic condition that landed him back in the hospital.

During the long wait for a transplant, Melissa juggled the challenges of living with a fragile liver—frequent doctor visits for treatments to reduce often debilitating symptoms and the uncertainty of whether a donor would become available in time.

“It was all just a bit weird,” the two acknowledge in unison. “I don’t drink alcohol but had liver cancer; Dave never smoked and had lung cancer,” Melissa said. “He made me go to the doctor and I made him go to the doctor, but now neither one of us could take care of each other.”

Yet, all they had was each other.

Struggling Together Through Cancer’s Challenges

Dave explains, “There were times she had to help me stand up, yet she was still sick and didn’t have the strength to do it. We were taking care of each other on walkers and literally pushing each other through.”

Each day was a careful balance of managing their health while holding onto hope, finding strength in each other as they stepped into the uncertain road ahead.

Dave lost his job. Although his employer held his position as long as possible, it became clear he could no longer handle the demands of travel and maintaining large refrigeration equipment.

Melissa battled chronic fatigue.

Overwhelmed by medical debt, they lost their home.

With unwavering determination and a network of support, they slowly turned the corner toward brighter days ahead.

Turning the Corner with Strength and Community

Melissa and Dave, an Air Force veteran, were surrounded by a strong network of support among friends at the VFW and American Legion, who raised donations, cooked meals, and gave rides to the hospital.

“We didn’t have to ask for a lot,” Melissa notes. “People were always there and willing to help—sometimes with more than what you can imagine,” a nod to the friends who, just three days before the couple faced homelessness, invited them to stay in their home until they could get back on their feet.

Fast forward to January 2026: Melissa has a new liver (she underwent a successful transplant in May 2025) and both she and Dave are cancer free.

“We’re on the good side now,” Dave says. “We’re still facing some health challenges and can’t do everything we used to do, but we are alive and we can both keep on going with our lives.”

The couple credits their expert medical teams for their positive outcomes and outlook. “Dr. Sajjad was not just Dave’s doctor,” Melissa says. “Everyone at FCS, they were my supporters, too.”

They recently reunited with some FCS supporters at the annual Day With the Bolts, a special event hosted by the statewide practice and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Attendees, including cancer survivors and caregivers, enjoyed the team’s morning skate and words of encouragement from defenseman Darren Raddysh and Hall of Famer Brian Bradley.

Words of Wisdom For Others Facing Cancer

Dave and Melissa summarize their advice to others facing a cancer journey: Stay strong, pray, and stay positive about everything.

“I can’t say it was easy. Time goes slow when you’re not feeling well,” Dave admits. “We’d ask ourselves, ‘How are we going to do this tomorrow and the next day?’ But you can’t give up. If you think about giving up, you will.”

Their tips for how to support someone going through cancer? Just offer, and it doesn’t have to be money. “Even something as simple as holding our hands and praying with us meant a lot,” Melissa said. “People just need encouragement. Remind them to stay strong, stay positive, and know that we’ll get through this together. And most importantly, understand that cancer isn’t contagious.”

Celebrating Family, Community, and New Chapters

Throughout their marriage, the two have shared the joy of giving to others. After three years of being unable to do so, they’re again looking forward to one of their favorite traditions—making and selling peanut brittle and donating funds so that elderly adults and families with special needs children have holiday gifts and meals. “”That’s what we like to do,” Melissa says.

Most of all, the couple, who never had a honeymoon, are eagerly awaiting “one of the best things in the world”—bringing together their eight children and grandchildren (they’re about to welcome grandchild number 20) from three different states for a long-awaited family vacation.

Partners as patients and caregivers, a new chapter of their lives awaits—with many cherished moments still to come.