Hearing "you have cancer"
In May of 2014 I was told something no one should ever hear, “you have cancer”. The path to write this 10 years later was not linear, it was filled with challenges from my diagnosis Stage 4 NSCLC to negative thoughts such as anger, anxiety, sadness and sorry. I was at the lowest point of my life, but survival was driving everything I did. Life is about momentum and that propelled me to find my path.
Joining an immunotherapy clinical trial
Because I felt a traditional path of treatment was not for me, I researched clinical trials and found that Duke had one underway for a new treatment called immunotherapy, with a bit of luck I fit the profile of what they needed, non-small cell lung cancer with no mutations. After 14 months of infusions with optivo and yervoy my tumors reduced in size to a point where if they did not grow, I would be considered in remission. I now get yearly MRI/ CT scans to ensure it does not return.
Getting treatment was easier than the aftermath
For me this was the easy part, the total focus on treatment and survival was the journey. The hard part for me was dealing with the aftermath of the trauma inflicted. Everything was different and the new path was unknown. I was finally able to dwell in the gratitude of having a second chance and the way I found to maintain this good feeling was getting involved in issues I cared about and giving back by volunteering. Exercise and eating well was not enough.
Getting involved with Lung Cancer Initiative
Getting involved with Lung Cancer Initiative was important for my mental health, I was able to meet other survivors who had gone through a similar experience and hearing their stories about their journeys really put things in perspective for me. It let me know I was not alone and many of their stories were much worse than mine. I know that sharing my story helped others as well.
Cancer research has come a long way in just the last 10 years from immunotherapy to targeted therapy it has helped many survive what 20 years ago would have been a death sentence. The research grants that LCI provides is one of the many ways they support cancer research and the cancer community.
