‘Never quit’: Mom earns master’s degree while battling stage 4 breast cancer

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT/Gray News) - A mother battling stage 4 breast cancer earned her master’s degree.

Starr Shamp’s journey started seven years ago in 2018 when she was given life-altering news.

She was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer a month before her 28th birthday.

“It was something that just kind of came out of nowhere,” Shamp said. “It was a little bit surreal because I did not know that it was going to happen.”

Shamp celebrated her 28th birthday with her first round of treatments. At the time, she was working full-time when she decided to make a change.

Through her experience, she noticed a lack of survivorship .

“Especially for people like me, who are stage four, I will always have treatments,” Shamp said. “So I just felt the need that there needs to be more care for people who are actually living through these diseases.”

Her focus on survivorship led to Bellevue University and its counseling program. In 2021, she chose to enroll and begin working towards a master’s degree.

Throughout that time, she was getting treatment, got married and had a surprise pregnancy.

“I found like an enlarged lymph node in my throat and we could not do anything at first, we were just kind of watching it,” said Shamp. “Eventually, they were like ‘We need to do something,’ so I actually had to deliver six weeks early. Harrison, my son, spent about two weeks in the ICU, but he is perfectly healthy and has no issues.”

Starr took one term off to recover but got back to work on her degree shortly after.

The she received from friends, family and her community kept her going.

“It felt like I always had a hug,” Shamp said. “No matter what I was going through, there was always somebody there, even if they were not physically present.”

On Saturday, Shamp ed her fellow graduates to receive diplomas. She received her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

She was seated on stage as this year’s student commencement speaker, giving her a chance to share her story and reflect on how far she has come.

“Never quit, there is always going to be something,” Shamp said. “Things pop up, it’s hard, acknowledge them, you know, do not try to push them back in your brain and ignore them. Feel them, go through them and keep going.”

Shamp still receives treatments every three weeks. The diploma in her hand reflects the incredible journey she has been on as her fight continues.

She is working towards earning her counselor license and will start a job as a licensed professional counselor in Illinois.

Copyright 2025 WOWT via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.