What happened, in summary

Jay Petri was diagnosed in 2008 and received clearer answers in fall 2009, when a good biopsy showed lung cancer with an ALK mutation. He understood that Stage IV lung cancer was probably terminal, and the diagnosis was followed by major personal loss when he was terminated from his job 90 days later. Coming to Mass General gave him a path forward because the ALK finding opened the door to clinical trials. Jay went through 3 different trials, while also receiving social work support, meditation, acupuncture, and help coping with the emotional impact of cancer. He described healing as more than treating the disease; it involved the whole person. When sharing his story, Jay said the following month would mark 1.5 years of being cancer-free. He had also watched his children marry and build their own lives, milestones he once feared he would miss. Over time, he began cutting back on social work visits, volunteering, and giving back to the hospital community that had become family. His story is Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer with a cancer-free / NED outcome after clinical trial treatment and strong whole-person support.