HOUSTON \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
But the news got worse. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they opened me up, they paused because tumors were everywhere,\u201d says Scharnberg of her first surgery. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
\u201cI realized everyone here had cancer; I saw traches and vents and tubes and realized how lucky I was,\u201d says Scharnberg. <\/p>\n
\u201cI work in the Med Center, I have a supportive family and great insurance,\u201d she added, underscoring that many others are not so fortunate. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
Shelby has been named a Pearl Honoree for the American Cancer Society\u2019s annual foodie event, Shuck Cancer<\/a>, 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<\/a> breakthrough by investing to find causes and cures. <\/p>\n Watch Shelby\u2019s full interview with Houston Life\u2019s Derrick Shore to find out how she was able to raise more than $93,000 (and counting!) to support the cause. <\/p>\n