Aguanga artist and teacher Sacha Hope is known for her outrageous sense of humor, contagious smile, entertaining classes and popular Paint and Sip parties, where groups of adult students learn to paint a picture while enjoying snacks and wine. Her bubbly personality is legendary, but she has been forced to slow down by the disease she has been fighting since a shocking cancer diagnosis in 2020. Her brilliant red locks may be gone due to chemotherapy, but her presence is as inspiring as it ever has been. She has shared every step of her personal journey on her Facebook page with an honesty and rawness that is both awe-inspiring and brutally painful.
Hope is battling an aggressive form of breast cancer called infiltrating ductal carcinoma. She has undergone two lumpectomies, two full rounds of chemotherapy and a flesh-searing 30 doses of radiation. All of these procedures were done during the first wave of COVID-19. At that time, not even family members were allowed to be with her during any of her doctor visits, scans or treatments. She never even saw a comforting smile as she endured the procedures, because the doctors’ and staff’s faces were all covered up by masks. Hope was hospitalized twice during this time due to the terrible side effects of it all.
Following the 15 months of treatment, the anticipation of being cured was stolen as another lump was found in November 2021. So began another two full courses of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy in July of 2022.
Since that time she has suffered a litany of side effects that required more hospitalizations to get them under some kind of control. In January she was dealt another blow and had to have her gallbladder removed due to damage from all of the medications she has had to take.
Despite all of this, Hope continues to donate her art for fundraisers at Michelle’s Place, a local cancer resource center in Temecula. She paints when she has the energy but is unable to teach classes or attend events to sell her paintings, which has had a financial impact on the family. The hardest blow was when her insurance provider was changed in January, which nearly doubled all of the family’s expected contributions and co-pays.
“Sacha still has another six months of chemotherapy ahead of her as well as two more surgeries expected in 2023,” family friend Diane Lieser Jones said. “This has used every penny of savings and emergency funds the family had. They need help and they need it now.”
Hope voluntarily taught art class at Cottonwood Elementary School and shared her talent and creativity with hundreds of kids who otherwise would have not had the opportunity to learn about art and art history, according to her husband Trond Hildahl. “Many have seen her painting at a local winery, beach or park,” he said. “She’s had exhibits at The Merc in Old Town Temecula, Middle Ridge Winery and Art Gallery in Idyllwild and a current show at Dorland Arts Colony. She even has her art on display on one of the painted electrical boxes around Old Town.”
Hope’s medical challenges have been ongoing. She developed an abscess that will not heal due to chemotherapy’s damage. No more radiation treatment is possible, as the site could not tolerate any more of the brutal rays. Final pathology from her removed lymph nodes indicate cancer is still there.
“Which means, nothing and everything,” Hildahl explained. “There’s no active tumor detected. But it’s somewhere in the lymphatic system. Cancer pathologies are graded from 1-3 on three tests, and the grades added together. This results in a score between 3 and 9, with 9 being the most aggressive – being apt to metastasize, or spread, within the body. Sacha came back as an 8. Pathology also looks for two particular hormones and one protein that cancers commonly have receptors for. Medical research has come up with many drugs and treatments for any of these three. Fifteen percent of breast cancer patients, however, are negative for all three, meaning the only treatments available are surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Sacha is triple-negative.”
Many helping hands have come through for Hope during this ordeal. Dozens of friends, neighbors and well wishers gathered in a scenic location in Aguanga for an emotional parade to show support for her in 2020. The gathering, organized by Susan Thompson and Leanne Lien, was a complete surprise to Hope. Her husband arranged to have her present and she was completely overcome with emotion and awe for the outpouring of support.
Others provided meal trains during chemo courses. Many over-the-top gifts, including a five-foot tall rainbow unicorn sprinkler and a Dammit Doll have been generously given to Hope. A #SocksForSacha campaign was organized, flooding social media with people wearing colorful socks to show support for her on Chemo Fridays.
“Two people wrote songs for her,” Hildahl added. “Seven members of a group she volunteered with 20 years ago flew out in October (2022) from five different states and another country to spend time with her. They performed a short musical comedy act gratis at Temecula Valley Hospital. There have been innumerable meals and snacks, gift cards, thoughtful presents, and most recently a large-scale GodFundMe campaign that is already half-fulfilled.”
The new year brought with it more disappointments. Hope was hospitalized for pancreatitis, and had her gall bladder removed during a five-day stay. Only six days after discharge, she was forced to return to the hospital in February and remained for 10 days. She is still facing six months of chemotherapy, a second abscess surgery and a central venous port removal surgery in the coming months.
“We’ve been friends for 14 years,” Jones said. “She is a loving wife, mother of two teenage boys, friend to many, artist, teacher and all around the funniest British woman you could ever know. I met her at Cottonwood School where she was the volunteer art teacher. She’s an absolute inspiration to me and one of the most passionate people I know. Her family and her art are everything to her. She is a light everywhere she goes and her ability to put a smile on faces is absolutely awe-inspiring. Her husband has been a fierce warrior through it all. Her two boys, Painter and Kai, have been absolutely incredible for what they’ve had to witness and endure. Sacha has walked this lonely, scary road with grace, honesty, empathy and even humor. So true to her name and through it all, Sacha Hope has never given up hope. Please open your hearts and pocketbooks and make a difference for someone who has made such a difference in so many lives.”
To contribute to the fundraiser, please visit www.gofundme.com/f/hope-for-sacha-hope.
To follow Sacha Hope’s art, please visit her online gallery at www.facebook.com/ArtistSachaHope.
Another way to support her and her family is to purchase an original piece of art from her at https://sachahope.com/originals-gallery-shop.
Diane Sieker can be reached by email at dsieker@reedermedia.com.
