How One Mother Transformed Fear into Hope and Thrived Beyond Stage IV

Brandi B.’s story began with a nagging cough that mostly flared up at night. After a trip to California in November exposed her to wildfire smoke, she found it harder to catch her breath during daily walks. Initially suspecting a minor respiratory issue, doctors ordered a chest X-ray, thinking it could be pulmonary sarcoidosis or even pneumonia.

Prescribed antibiotics brought no improvement, and a pulmonologist’s follow-up X-ray suggested the presence of fluid in her heart—but still, cancer seemed unlikely.

A persistent cough led to more tests, culminating in a biopsy that revealed Stage IIIB ALK+ lung cancer. In late January 2018, Brandi learned of her diagnosis. Days later, she attended a lung cancer conference, where meeting survivors offered her immense hope. Despite the looming start of treatment, Brandi went on a pre-planned Disney Cruise with her children, returning refreshed and ready to fight.

Her treatment began in mid-March 2018 with six weeks of chemotherapy (six rounds) and 30 rounds of radiation, followed by a year of immunotherapy. Midway through chemo, complications such as high fevers and C. diff infection landed her in the hospital, and doctors discovered more fluid around her heart containing malignant cells, confirming progression to Stage IV. After a heated tumor board debate, Brandi switched to targeted therapy—eight pills daily, taken 12 hours apart.

The targeted therapy was challenging at first, leaving her exhausted. Yet, within weeks, her scans showed dramatic improvement. In just seven weeks, she was declared NED (no evidence of disease). Nearly four years later, that status remains unchanged. While Brandi faced depression and emotional hurdles in the aftermath, she emerged even stronger. She’s traveled to Paris twice, continues to be a dedicated mother of four, and uses her experience to advocate for other lung cancer patients as part of a Speakers Bureau.