Stage I Lung Cancer: Dave's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Dave Bjork’s lung cancer was found in the late 1990s, when his doctor called and told him a tumor had been found. Even though the cancer was Stage I and localized, the diagnosis immediately made him think about dying, life insurance, his wife, and his children, who were under age 5 at the time. Dave’s treatment was surgery. Doctors removed his lower left lung lobe, and the video description notes that he did not need chemotherapy. The surgery was still a major experience: he remembered it as painful, invasive, and requiring significant recovery time. After surviving early-stage lung cancer, Dave struggled with survivor’s guilt. He cared deeply about the lung cancer community but wondered whether his voice belonged beside people with Stage IV disease who were actively fighting for their lives. The White Ribbon Project helped him understand that Stage I survivors also matter in advocacy and that earlier-stage patients can help others by speaking about screening and early detection. As of November 2021, Dave was using his story to promote lung cancer screening, biomarker testing awareness, earlier diagnosis, and compassion for everyone affected by lung cancer, regardless of stage or smoking history. He also wanted earlier-stage patients to know their experiences can help others push for timely evaluation before lung cancer becomes harder to treat.