In 2014 my life changed overnight. Diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that had metastacized to my pericardium(surrounds heart)with no discernible symptoms but a little wheezing for a month. I was an extremely healthy and “in shape” 57 year old woman. Worked out 5x weeklywith my friends at the YMCA and walked 4 miles daily. Non smoker. Given a dire days to live prognosis that I surpassed and then a directive to my husband to find a nice hospice for me, by my doctor, I still perservere. First I had chemo followed by a new targeted therapy med that failed after 2 years, when I was found to have 19 brain tumors. By now, the lung cancer had spread to my brain., I was treated by multi focused steriotactic radiation 2 X but more cancer grew back to a total of 49 brain tumors. Luckily, I was able to find an clinical trial in Boston with Dr.Alice Shaw (who is a huge researcher and oncologist dealing with my rare mutation called Ros1, which only 1% of lung cancer patients have). She allowed me into a clinical trial that has destroyed all my brain tumors and has kept me NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE for 2 years. I’ll surpass the statistic of being in the 1% that will survive 5 years- in January 2019. This is nothing short of a miracle of God, great doctors, researchers and a new wave of incredible medicine.. This all sounds great but, the fact is that lung cancer gets the least $ in research funding by the US government. It kills more than Breast colon pancreatic and prostate COMBINED. 2X more women die of lung cancer than breast cancer.Please help us find a cure! I’m directing the money raised to the Lung Cancer Roundtable at American Cancer Society this year. They are working on research that matters. Making sure that people that need to be screened are. They're working to ensure doctors recommend and test their patients for genetic markers to properly treat each patient in the most efficient and targeted way possible. They’re also researching women and lung cancer. The survivor who raises the most money for funding wins a trip to the SUPER BOWL right here in Atlanta at the Mercedes Benz stadium. I would love to represent Lung Cancer Survivors in my city and stadium. Lung cancer kills the equivalent of 2 stadiums FULL of people every year in the US. That’s 160,000 moms,dads,sisters,brothers,sons,daughters,grandparents and aunts,uncles and cousins! ONE out of 4 diagnosed cancer patients are being diagnosed with LUNG CANCER. 1 out of 4 Americans will be diagnosed with some type of cancer. Those are daunting odds. Be aware. Get screened if you qualify. Get tested for a mutation if you get lung cancer. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BREATHE. THAT’s HOW U get lung cancer. Anyone can get lung cancer. You don’t have to be a smoker!! My story brings hope that one day the possibility of making lung cancer a chronic manageable disease will become a reality.
