A Mother of 10 Felt Bloated & Had Swelling in Her Legs – Weeks Later, She Died from a Rare Form of Cancer

In early 2025, Angela Goodrich, a 45-year-old mother of ten, started noticing changes in her body that initially felt manageable. Life was hectic, and she had more pressing things to focus on, so she brushed them aside. Even as her health declined, she kept going, unaware of what was rapidly developing inside her.

By the time she received a diagnosis, the condition had already progressed to an advanced stage. Within weeks, Angela had started treatment, documented her experience for public awareness, and passed away at home in Utah. Her story highlights an aggressive disease that often remains undetected until it’s too late.

Family Life Before the Illness

Angela lived in Toquerville, Utah, with her husband, Matt Goodrich. The two met in high school and remained together ever since. Angela gave birth to ten children, nine daughters and one son, whose ages ranged from seven to 26 at the time of her death. Eight of them still lived at home.

The Goodrich family had recently welcomed new life into the fold. Their son and his wife, Maddie, became parents to twin boys, who had just turned one, officially making Angela and Matt grandparents.

Angela’s life revolved around her family and community. She remained deeply involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren, nurturing friendships and always offering a helping hand to those around her. Nothing about her day-to-day life gave any indication that a serious illness was taking root.

Initial Physical Changes and Assumptions

In early 2025, Angela began noticing subtle changes in her body. She experienced a persistent sensation of fullness in her belly and visible swelling in her legs. At first, she believed the symptoms were related to stopping a medication she had been taking to manage polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Matt also observed the changes in his wife’s condition. “The swelling was pretty bad,” he recalled. Despite these developments, there was no immediate sense of alarm. Angela carried on with her responsibilities, attributing the discomfort to something temporary or hormonal.

Given the absence of concerning symptoms or prior history, cancer was not suspected at this stage.

Worsening Symptoms During a Cruise

As the family prepared for a cruise earlier in the year, Angela’s symptoms began to intensify. During the trip, Matt noticed his wife struggling with activities that had never been a challenge before. She was short of breath while climbing stairs and complained of abdominal pain.

Looking back, Angela recalled a moment just before they departed for the cruise when she had a sudden thought that her symptoms might be something serious. “But I just kind of shook it off out of my mind. We’re not doing that kind of thing,” she recalled.

Despite the discomfort, Angela didn’t let her family know that she was overly concerned. Despite her optimism, a family member persuaded her to seek medical attention. That decision came just in time.

Visit to Urgent Care and Abnormal Results

In early March 2025, Angela followed through on a promise she had made to a relative and visited an urgent care clinic. Blood tests were performed during the appointment, and the results raised immediate concerns. Her potassium levels were found to be dangerously low.

A doctor advised her to go directly to the emergency room for an intravenous infusion of potassium. Further testing was ordered, including a CT scan. It was during this ER visit that Angela first heard the word “tumor” used about her condition.

Recalling that moment, she said, “An ER doctor came in and just kind of said, ‘Tumor this’ and ‘Tumor that.’ That’s how we found out.” What had started as vague and manageable symptoms now had a name, though the full scope of the illness had not yet been revealed.