32-Year-Old Australian Entrepreneur Faces Rare, Aggressive Sinus Cancer

Michaela Grace Coy, who runs a mobile wedding hair and makeup service, a counseling practice, and volunteers for a homeless charity, noticed severe facial pain and a sensitive lump near her nose in early July. Imaging first identified a chronic fracture, leading to a mistaken belief that blocked mucus caused the swelling, and she underwent nasal surgery in August. The operation found no mucus to drain, and a subsequent biopsy confirmed a rare, aggressive squamous cell carcinoma that had metastasized to her brain and hip, rendering it inoperable.

Physicians told her she might survive only three weeks without intervention, but chemotherapy could buy her three to six months, possibly up to a year. She started treatment in late August, coping with fatigue, nausea, and hair loss, while sharing updates on Instagram and a GoFundMe page to support her care. Despite the grim prognosis, she remains determined to make the most of each day.