{"id":21414,"date":"2025-08-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?p=21414"},"modified":"2025-09-09T11:58:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T15:58:51","slug":"missy-roberts-sister-of-a-survivor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/blog\/missy-roberts-sister-of-a-survivor\/","title":{"rendered":"Soul Sisters: Mesothelioma Survivor Inspires Hope in Her Sibling"},"content":{"rendered":"

The sister of a long-term survivor navigates emotional and spiritual changes on the path toward acceptance<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

When she first learned her sister Jill was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma,<\/a> Missy Roberts was overcome with emotion. She remembers the next few days as an endless cycle of shock, anger, and grief.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone you love is informed that they have only a year to live, everything changes,\u201d reveals Missy, whose sister Jill Litton<\/a> has been defying her doctor\u2019s prediction since 2009. \u201cHow you look at them, how you value the time you get to spend with them, how you cherish hearing their voice and laughter. Suddenly every detail seems heightened and precious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn how Missy and Jill\u2019s sisterly bond helped them each cope with life after a mesothelioma diagnosis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Strength Where You Least Expect It<\/h2>\n

Despite undergoing surgery and intense mesothelioma treatment<\/a>, Jill remained the steady center of her family. Missy recalls many moments when Jill, even in her most difficult days, was the one offering comfort to others. Her calmness, faith, and determination became a guiding force.<\/p>\n

What amazed Missy most was that Jill never let cancer define her. Whether she was spending time with her granddaughters or encouraging her loved ones to keep moving forward, Jill’s strength was unwavering.<\/p>\n

\u201cJill has always been positive, brave, and faithful,” Missy says. “She comforts me when I am overtaken by fear and when I lose hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching her sister stay strong for everyone else, even while fighting for her life, profoundly shaped how Missy faced her own fears. She soon realized they weren\u2019t alone and that many other families impacted by mesothelioma<\/a> had found strength and hope in similar moments.<\/p>\n

Get our Free Mesothelioma Survivors Guide <\/strong>to read about other patients and families who found the support they needed to keep fighting.<\/p>\n

A United Front of Faith<\/h2>\n

Watching her sister face each day with courage and grace had a profound impact on Missy, helping her find moments of peace amid the fear and chaos.<\/p>\n

Jill\u2019s steady faith became Missy\u2019s guiding light. What began as a frightening medical crisis slowly evolved into a spiritual journey, deepening Missy\u2019s relationship with God. Through prayer, she found strength when hers was running low and hope when things felt most uncertain.<\/p>\n

\u201cPray, pray, and pray some more. Even when you lose all hope, keep praying.\u201d
\n\u2013 Missy Roberts, sister of a 16+ year mesothelioma survivor<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Their experience isn\u2019t just moving on a personal level \u2014 it also reflects what researchers have found to be true. A 2022 Harvard University study showed that people facing serious illnesses often feel better emotionally and physically when they have access to faith-based support<\/a>. Jill and Missy\u2019s journey is a real-life example of that connection in action.<\/p>\n

Unbreakable Bonds, Sisterly Love<\/h2>\n

Missy has selflessly offered her time and attention to help her sister over these last 16+ years. This includes joining her for multiple doctor\u2019s appointments and providing thousands of hours of childcare for Jill\u2019s grandchildren while they were living with her.<\/p>\n

In fact, when Jill was on bed rest for a month after mesothelioma surgery<\/a>, Missy took care of her great-niece, finding comfort in knowing that her sister\u2019s responsibilities were lightened, even temporarily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would do it a million more times for her,\u201d says Missy. \u201cIt might not be easy, but I would do anything to help my sister through this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Based on her own journey, Missy encourages other families facing mesothelioma to stay close, show up, and stand strong beside their loved ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have a loved one fighting for their life, I promise you that you will find yourself standing right beside them, fighting just as hard.\u201d
\n\u2013 Missy Roberts, sister of a 16+ year mesothelioma survivor<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Find Hope and Healing After a Mesothelioma Diagnosis<\/h2>\n

Finding your way after a mesothelioma diagnosis can be daunting, but your fight is our fight, and together we can help you face this cancer with courage and hope.<\/p>\n

Missy Roberts, whose sister Jill has been living with mesothelioma for more than 16 years, knows just how life-changing a diagnosis can be \u2014 and how important it is to take an active role in the journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne phone call and one test result can change your life forever,\u201d Missy says.\u201cMy sister\u2019s journey has taught me that you must do your own research, express your own voice, advocate for yourself, and never give up<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mesothelioma Hope is here to provide personalized guidance wherever you are in your journey, ensuring you have access to the latest treatments, financial assistance, and supportive care. Call (866) 608-8933<\/a> now to reach one of our Patient Advocates, or get our Free Mesothelioma Survivors Guide<\/a> for more advice and inspiration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The sister of a long-term survivor navigates emotional and spiritual changes on the path toward acceptance When she first learned her sister Jill was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma, Missy Roberts was overcome with emotion. She remembers the next few days as an endless cycle of shock, anger, and grief. \u201cWhen someone you love is informed…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":28869,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[257],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-survivor-stories"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21414"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21414\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}