Steps of Strength for Anna

Get ready to come together in person for an inspiring day. This event is all about celebrating community, courage, and making every step count!

In honor of Anna’s faith, courage, trust in God, and unwavering hope throughout this battle, we invite anyone who has been affected by cancer to join us for Steps of Strength for Anna on a walking hike of the scenic Lewis and Clark Trail in Weldon Spring Conservation Area. We will be walking the 5.3 mile Clark Loop trail. For a shorter & less challenging hike with kids you can take the approximately 1 mile hike to the first bluff overlook, then turn around and head back.

Whether you have supported Anna and her family financially, emotionally, or spiritually — or simply want to stand with those who are fighting cancer — we would love to have you join us for Steps of Strength for Anna & RuckCancer. Everyone is welcome. Even if you don’t know Anna personally, if you hate cancer and want to celebrate strength, faith, and community, this walk is for you.

Our hope is to make RuckCancer an annual event — one that raises awareness, encourages hope, and gives a voice to those who are battling cancer and to the families walking beside them. Colon cancer affects far too many families, and together we can help be a voice for them. Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and love for Anna and her family. It means the world to them. Whether you’re walking, cheering, or just showing support, your presence means the world. Let’s take those steps with strength and heart — all for Anna!

Back in 2022, Anna was diagnosed with stage 2B colon cancer. After enduring 12 rounds of chemotherapy, she courageously fought through treatment and rang the bell in March of 2023, marking the end of a long and difficult battle.

Unfortunately, on April 29, 2025, a Signatera test first detected what was later confirmed by MRI to be a stage 4 recurrence. The cancer had returned as adenocarcinoma of the small intestine and had already spread to the surrounding lymph nodes and throughout her abdomen. It has now been almost one year since that devastating diagnosis, and so much has happened during that time. We wanted to share an update with everyone who has supported, prayed for, and lifted up Anna, Jerry, and their beautiful family along the way.

At the time of the recurrence, Anna was also 21 weeks pregnant with sweet baby Pio. Through carefully selected treatments during her pregnancy, Anna continued her fight while protecting her unborn child. By the grace of God, baby Pio was born perfectly healthy and unharmed by the treatments his mama endured. Today, he is a thriving, adorable six-month-old — a miracle all on his own.

When Anna first received the stage 4 diagnosis, her oncologist was not optimistic about her chances of survival. But Anna placed her trust in God and firmly believed He had a bigger plan for her life. No doctor has the power to give someone an expiration date. Miracles happen, prayers matter, and there is always hope for those battling cancer or any other disease.

To call the past year a “trying time” for Anna and her family would be a massive understatement. Yet throughout it all, countless friends, family members, and members of the community have stepped forward to support them with prayers, meals, encouragement, and love. Anna and her family are deeply grateful for every prayer lifted on their behalf. We continue to see the power of those prayers at work each day as Anna presses forward in this fight.

Anna’s treatments are still ongoing. She currently receives peptide therapy twice a week and chemotherapy every other Friday. Thankfully, she has tolerated the treatments well and has experienced very few noticeable side effects. On December 30th, Anna had both a CT scan and another Signatera blood test — the same test that originally detected the recurrence — to check for circulating tumor cells. The results brought encouraging news. Her Signatera levels had decreased significantly, and her CT scan showed noticeable improvement. In fact, the radiologist had difficulty locating active cancer in her abdomen. While it has not disappeared completely, the improvement compared to her previous scan three months earlier was a huge relief and a very positive sign.

For now, Anna will continue with the same treatment plan of chemotherapy every other week along with twice-weekly peptide therapy. She is also pursuing additional supportive treatments to help protect her body from the effects of chemotherapy and encourage healing. These include blood-filtering therapy (EBOO), which helps remove toxins and increase oxygen levels in the blood, along with Myers cocktails and high-dose Vitamin C IV treatments. In addition, she continues taking a customized supplement regimen to support her body in both fighting the cancer and healing from treatment. We ask that you please continue praying for Anna and her family as this journey continues. We are still praying for a miracle — that Anna’s body be completely healed and free of cancer. Your prayers mean more than words can express. Please join us in storming Heaven with prayers for Anna.

St. Padre Pio

St. Gianna

St. Peregrine

St. Jude

St. Anthony

If you would like to follow Anna's fight against cancer, please to visit her CaringBridge site.

You can also purchase an event T-shirt for $25 by filling out the order form at the below link, and paying via Venmo or Apple Pay. The T-shirts will be available the day of the event. Thank you for your support!

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Host or Publisher Jerry Engelhard