Lung Cancer: Katie's Survivor Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- surgery
- Outcome
- Survivorship / Completed Treatment
Treatment course, step by step
- Left lung lobectomy 3 weeks after delivering a healthy baby boy, removing half of the left lung.
What happened, in summary
Katie was 12 weeks pregnant with her second child when she was diagnosed with neuroendocrine lung cancer in 2023. Running was one of her favorite activities, and she asked what the diagnosis would mean for that part of her life. She was told that she would probably never be able to run a marathon.
Katie delivered a healthy baby boy, Tommy. Three weeks later, she underwent a lobectomy that removed half of her left lung. Recovery required rebuilding strength one lap at a time, surrounded by other patients doing the same. Those quiet moments of mutual encouragement stayed with her.
At age 34, Katie returned to her long-held marathon goal. She and her sister Bridget ran the Paris Marathon for Team LUNGevity and raised $4,775 for lung-cancer research and support. During the race, she saw runners helping one another through pain and fatigue, reminding her of the support she had experienced after surgery. Completing the marathon became a marker of how much life remained possible after diagnosis and lobectomy.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by LUNGevity. Read the original in full
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team.