Montessa is no stranger to health frustrations, having experienced two misdiagnoses at the age of 28 before eventually being correctly diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). By learning all she could about the disease, forming her own care team and eventually becoming a strong advocate for those living with SCLC, she was able to not only help shape the direction of her care, but empower others to do the same.

“If I was giving other people advice about how to get your care team intact, I would go back to some of the training we do for our new teachers. And we show them a story about finding your marigold, about planting those marigolds in your garden and finding people who are around you to support you and support your growth.”