Sue had just retired and was training for a half marathon when she developed a dry cough that she couldn’t shake. At first, she dismissed it as a sinus infection or cold. But when the cough continued to bother her many weeks later, her daughter insisted on taking her to the doctor. A concerning chest X-ray led her to an oncologist, who diagnosed her with Stage 3C lung cancer and suggested starting immediate treatment.
From that moment on, Sue’s life accelerated into a cycle familiar to many cancer patients. She was shuffled from doctor to doctor, where they performed tests and left her feeling scared and uncertain. “I was so overwhelmed,” she explained. She began six weeks of daily radiation combined with weekly chemotherapy. Once she had recovered from those treatments, she began immunotherapy.
Then in December 2024 she began experiencing new symptoms, “I was walking into walls and even though everyone assured me it was just a virus I let my doctor know.” Her oncologist ordered an MRI which led to the discovery of five brain tumors. She was rushed to specialists who removed them with gamma knife radiation a few days later.
Soon after, Sue’s doctors tested her for biomarkers and found she had the KRAS mutation. This allowed them to prescribe a targeted therapy, which has enabled her to return to her normal routine.
Finding Purpose and Support
Amid her many treatments, Sue found herself unable to sleep and decided to use that time to foster her passion for writing. “I wrote and wrote and wrote,” she said. What started as a way to cope with her health challenges developed into a blog that described cancer as if it were a strange sci‑fi universe. “I wrote it like I was being shipped to another planet,” she said. “It was everything that happens behind locked doors, the stuff somebody on the other side will never know unless they walk the walk themselves.”
It was during one of these nights that she stumbled upon a Facebook ad from the American Lung Association seeking personal stories. She filled it out on a whim. Her writing and willingness to be open and honest about her experience caught the attention of the Advocacy Day coordinator who invited her to take her storytelling to the next level.
For the last two years, Sue has traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak directly with her elected representatives. Sitting face‑to‑face with policymakers, she shared both her lived experience and her priorities for change. “First and foremost, we need more funding to do lung cancer research,” Sue said. “I’m near the ceiling of FDA‑approved treatments for my mutation. If they stop doing research, there might not be options for me once this quits working.”
Sue also speaks openly about financial insecurity, access to care, and the need to protect programs like Medicare and Medicaid. saying, “I will need some assistance when I’m really old, and I want to know that system is there to help me and others live a little longer.”
A Voice for the Lung Cancer Community
Lung cancer remains one of the most underfunded and stigmatized cancers, despite being the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Sue is determined to help change that narrative, “lung cancer patients get ignored and the smoker stigma is everywhere,” she said. She’s quick to remind people that no one deserves lung cancer, regardless of how it happens.
Through her advocacy with the American Lung Association, Sue hopes to give a voice to lung cancer patients and show decision makers that policy choices translate directly into lives extended or lost. “I’m shooting for 20 years,” she said. “We’ll see what happens.”
Sue’s advocacy is fueled by the same resolve that carried her through diagnosis, treatment, and fear. “I don’t know how much effect it’ll actually have,” she said. “But if I don’t do it, somebody has to.”
Learn more about how you can advocate for lung cancer on our website.
Blog last updated: April 22, 2026
