HOUSTON – Houstonian Shelby Scharnberg knows a thing or two about resilience. In 2018, after being told she might need to have her tonsils removed because of recurring infections in her throat, doctors performed a CT scan and discovered two tumors; one tumor was next to her trachea, the other next to her vocal chords. Shelby had thyroid cancer.
But the news got worse.
“When they opened me up, they paused because tumors were everywhere,” says Scharnberg of her first surgery.
Ultimately, Shelby would need to have 70 lymph nodes removed, including five in her chest. 13 of them were cancerous. Over the coming years, Shelby would undergo three surgeries and multiple rounds of radiation.
During one of her procedures, Shelby says there was a turning point as she was waiting for her mom to pick her up in the valet line.
“I realized everyone here had cancer; I saw traches and vents and tubes and realized how lucky I was,” says Scharnberg.
“I work in the Med Center, I have a supportive family and great insurance,” she added, underscoring that many others are not so fortunate.
It was that moment Shelby realized she wanted to become an advocate and give back. Shelby made a commitment to pay it forward and help others who are battling the disease.
Shelby has been named a Pearl Honoree for the American Cancer Society’s annual foodie event, Shuck Cancer, happening Nov 13th at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards. The funds raised directly support the work of the American Cancer Society, which this year alone has donated $28 million to the Texas Medical Center in grant funding. For more than 80 years, the American Cancer Society has supported nearly every cancer research breakthrough by investing to find causes and cures.
Watch Shelby’s full interview with Houston Life’s Derrick Shore to find out how she was able to raise more than $93,000 (and counting!) to support the cause.
Thursday’s Shuck Cancer event is nearly sold out, but the remaining tickets are available on their website.