Mission Viejo Couple Faces Cancer Challenge

A couple from Mission Viejo, California, is navigating a difficult path as both have been diagnosed with cancer. Zak Salazar has a terminal condition, while his wife, Cori Salazar, is battling cancer for the second time. They reflect on how confronting mortality has taught them to appreciate life more deeply.

The welfare of their three young daughters remains a priority for the Salazar family.

“I want my girls to always feel completely loved, cared for, and safe, even when things aren’t great,” Cori shared.

Things have certainly been challenging. When Eyewitness News caught up with the family a year ago, Zak had recently completed chemotherapy for glioblastoma, a severe brain cancer, while Cori was recovering after surgery for thyroid cancer.

“What happens to the girls if we both go? These are not conversations that parents our age should be having,” Zak admitted then.

Shortly after that conversation, a routine check-up for kidney stones uncovered a troubling spot on Cori’s pancreas, which testing confirmed to be a slow-growing pancreatic cancer.

“The idea of not being around for them, or that both of us might not be here, was terrifying,” Cori expressed.

Doctors performed surgery to remove her spleen and part of her pancreas, though she will require ongoing monitoring.

Then Zak received some unnerving news. During his regular brain MRI, radiologists discovered something concerning.

“The doctor was worried about this spot and advised starting chemotherapy immediately,” he recalled.

Zak followed this advice but also sought a second opinion from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Under a sprawling oak tree in Houston, the family prayed together.

“Lord, I just ask that you’ve already healed me,” he hoped.

Cori and Zak live with the persistent anxiety of their situation.

“In the glioblastoma community, we will never be cancer-free because the diagnosis is terminal. It’s a chronic cancer,” Zak explained.

Parenting through such turmoil has been incredibly tough. However, they’ve learned to let the reality of their situation guide them.

Children’s literature surrounding grief has opened up vital conversations with their kids.

“It really gives them the tools to navigate these tough times,” noted Cori.

With Zak facing a terminal illness, Cori wanted to support him. In her research, she found resources from author and death doula Alua Arthur.

“They are open, honest, and thoughtful, involving their children in the process,” Arthur observed.

Through her “Going with Grace” workshops, she assisted Cori in preparing for the end-of-life process, which Arthur sees as a way to enrich living.

“We don’t know how we’ll die, but we can choose to live as if we’re going to die, inviting more presence in our lives,” Arthur advised.

“What we have is right here, right now,” Cori affirmed. “Yep, we have today,” Zak echoed.

Back in Houston, their prayers seemed to have been answered. A detailed MRI showed that the concern over Zak’s brain was unfounded, allowing him to stop chemotherapy.

Later, four-year-old Luna excitedly told her dad it was “the best day ever.”

“As she was drifting off to sleep, she said, ‘Dad, do you remember that one time we went to the park and prayed together?’ I replied, ‘Yeah, I recall that.’ She said, ‘That was a good day,'” Zak reminisced.