Linda W

Linda W., MT

I never smoked and I got lung cancer. My local doctors ignored my symptoms of shoulder pain and a chocking cough. Two years later Mayo Clinic properly diagnosed my symptoms with a CT scan and saved my life with surgery to remove a 3 cm tumor and most of my left lung. My stage was 1A.

I am alive because I found a team of doctors who knew exactly what to do to properly diagnose and treat me...even though I never smoked! Doctors screened me! The diagnosis was shocking. I never knew young, athletic never smokers could die with lung cancer.

I feel blessed to be alive 14 years after life saving lung cancer CT screening and life saving VATS surgery. Non smokers and smokers alike need to be properly diagnosed and properly treated! Because lung cancer is anybody's disease! Since lung cancer I'm alive, I run, mountain bike 100 miles a week and have a great quality of life.

Asthma Educator Institute
, | Jul 11, 2015