Since writing about unexpectedly being diagnosed with stage iv lung cancer during Covid in The New York Times many folks have reached out. I appreciate the support and compassion and I'm doing very well, though I sometimes carpe a little too much diem:The Washington Post.
An issue I hope to make an impact on is bridging healthcare inequities. Here's an essay on tackling cancer while battling insurance companie: WashingtonPost.
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Upcoming: The essay: "A Lung Cancer Patient's Passionate Desire for Sexual Healing" which focuses on the work of Dr. Narjust Florez, the SHAWL Study: Sexual Health Assessment in Women with Lung Cancer, and why I'm listening to a lot of Marvin Gaye, will publish in The Oncologist Journal, November issue, 2023.
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It's been tremendously rewarding to be sharing the lived experience as a patient advocate. In 2022, I spoke in the opening plenary at the World Lung Cancer Conference in Vienna, at the Women Against Lung Cancer Conference in Rome, and the Multi-Omnics Conference in Brisbane. Recently, I hosted benefits for the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, Lung Cancer Foundation of America, and spoke at the global meet up for Akoya Biosciences.
I've been astonished by the dedication, kindness, and brilliance of the wonderful humans that make up the global community of researchers, scientists, industry,clinicians, patient advocates,and NGOs, that are changing the landscape of diagnositcs, treatment, outcomes, and survivorship.
Here are some resouces if you're in treatment or someone in your life has just received a life changing diagnosis of any kind:
check out this site that aggregates financial resources:myhealthcarefinances.com
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Lung Cancer research is woefully underfunded and also not on folks' radar and that's one of the reasons that survival rates are lower than other cancers. Forgive the Brady Bunch reference but we're the Jan of cancers, I hope that we'll one day be the Marcia of cancers!
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here are two great organizations that fund research:
Lung Cancer Foundation of America
Lung Cancer Research Foundation
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If, like me, you've tested positive for the EGRF mutation,find our community on the private facebook page. I can't say enough great things about EGFR Resisters founded by Ivy Elkins and Jill Feldman.
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If you're in treatment or supporting someone with lung cancer: Go2foundation.
You can also see my interview on Good Morning America.
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Disclosures: Being a spokesperson for LCFA and LCRF are unpaid positions, but I am hoping to be lavishly rewarded by getting to enjoy more years on the planet.
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