Lung Cancer: Sandra's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Sandra was 42 and living in Colombes when lung cancer entered her life shortly after a stroke. She had the stroke at the beginning of 2018 and was officially diagnosed with lung cancer on April 16, 2018. She nicknamed the cancer “baby dragon,” choosing a name that felt less harsh than tumor, cancer, or crab. At first, the diagnosis felt like a wall hitting her, but fear quickly shifted into determination. Sandra trusted medicine, trusted herself, and saw the work of treatment as a team effort with her doctors. Her mother joined many medical conversations, but Sandra made sure she asked her own questions first because she was the person carrying the illness. Treatment was immunotherapy, and Sandra said the tumor was responding well and getting smaller. She also changed daily life around what her body needed: more sleep, naps, regular meals, reading, and doing things that genuinely gave her pleasure. A heavy smoker for 30 years, she stopped smoking after the stroke and did not want to return to it. Sandra also changed her diet, adding more fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and homemade food. Her goal was full remission, but her day-to-day focus was living with confidence and joy.