Stage III Lung Cancer: Heidi's Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage III
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- Not reported
- Outcome
- Care Ongoing
Treatment course, step by step
- Stage III primary lung cancer diagnosis; treatment regimen not specified.
- The article centers on Pierre Onda's caregiver role and the creation of The White Ribbon Project.
What happened, in summary
Heidi Onda’s lung cancer diagnosis is told through the experience of her husband, Pierre. A few years before the story was published, Heidi had a CT scan for an ovarian cyst. The cyst was benign, but the scan also showed findings that looked like advanced cancer and appeared to be a primary lung cancer. Pierre, then a primary care physician, read the report before Heidi had heard the news and was overwhelmed by the thought of having to tell her. Heidi was later diagnosed with Stage III lung cancer. The diagnosis was especially shocking because she had long been committed to health and wellness as a health educator and trainer. The account centers on the caregiver experience: Pierre managing fear, anxiety, and the thought of losing his wife, while he and Heidi built community through The White Ribbon Project. The wooden white ribbons they created became a way for people affected by lung cancer to claim their stories and push back against stigma, especially toward patients with smoking histories. As of June 2026, Heidi was living with Stage III lung cancer, with care ongoing and a strong caregiver-advocacy focus.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by The Patient Story. 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.