My wife, Elizabeth Arlene Pike Shatterly, died from SEF Sarcoma at age 64 on December 25, 2025. She was my beautiful and vivacious soul mate for 39 years.
Around midyear 2024, Elizabeth called a family meeting at her parent’s home to announce that she had been diagnosed with cancer. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, she had discovered a lump in her thigh. After diagnosis at UNC Cancer Center and confirmed by the Mayo Clinic, it was determined that she had “SEF” soft tissue sarcoma and a long tiring treatment process was begun: Chemotherapy followed by Radiation treatment followed by Immunotherapy and followed by Chest Radiation, over an eighteen month period. The odds were stacked against her because her cancer was so rare that there was little known about treatment and no cure. Along the way the cancer metastatasized to her lungs with brutal effect. Her immune system was also impaired due to some genetic issues, which meant that immunotherapy was, at best, a hope. The tumor in her thigh was never removed and she experienced excruciating swelling from edema in her leg for the entire length of her illness. During her long battle she remained positive and outgoing and expressed her love to others freely.
Although it was not the miracle we hoped and prayed for, we like to believe that Elizabeth has won the Victory! The SEF may have robbed her of her body, but it did not rob her of her soul. It did not rob her of her uplifting personality until the very end; it did not rob her of her love and faith in God. The SEF did not defeat her mind and spirit. She was a warrior in this battle and an inspiration to all who knew her.
It is our hope (In Elizabeth’s Honor) that some day soon a cure will be found for SEF Sarcoma. Her family, my family and I miss her dearly and so do our three canine pets.
-Jeff Shatterly
