“Everyone has a one-way ticket. Only when you accept that does life become truly beautiful.”

That was an impossible task. How could she say goodbye to her almost 3-year-old sons? Maybe there was one last option, her doctors suggested. Experimental immunotherapy has just become available. Who knows, it might mean something to her.

Then a miracle happened: After two injections, her tumor marker, a substance the body produces in response to cancer, seemed to decrease sharply. Eighteen months later, almost all of the spots on the scan appeared to have disappeared. Her doctors were astonished. “They haven’t even put up the signs yet.” But my oncologist said, “We can’t see anything on the scan anymore.” All tumors calcified or even completely disappeared. Just pick up the thread of your life again.”

Meanwhile, congratulations poured in from those around her. How wonderful this was. Seven years after her cancer, Claudia was able to return to her work, to her old life. While she herself was overcome by despair. “Because how was this supposed to happen, and I get my old life back?” After a long period? Only a little remained of that life. It felt like a goose chase: back to the beginning. While I had to reinvent everything.

“Before I got sick I had my own business. But that life at that time was like a coat that no longer fit me. I had suffered so much damage from all the treatments. I still had epilepsy and I was exhausted. I felt like I had to learn to walk again.