Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage IV
- Subtype
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Biomarkers
- ALK-positive
- Sex
- Female
- Outcome
- Living With Cancer
What happened, in summary
In the winter of 2018, a 31-year-old woman developed a lingering cough shortly after celebrating her first wedding anniversary with her husband, Jack. She was healthy, active, and had no major risk factors, but testing led to a diagnosis of Stage IV ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer.
She began by emailing family and friends, then created a CaringBridge page to document milestones and difficult days. Writing helped her process the diagnosis and eventually gave her the confidence to speak publicly about lung-cancer stigma, the growing number of younger women with ALK-positive disease, and the need for research. Therapy and support from people around her also helped her release the guilt and embarrassment she initially carried.
Her advocacy grew to include fundraising, one-to-one support, and meetings with members of Congress in Washington, DC, to defend federal medical-research funding. Outside advocacy, she continued building a full life with Jack and their dog, traveled to Peru with her mother, and returned to tap dancing and performing in recitals.
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.