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.