I am a stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer patient who was diagnosed February 2021 at 33 years old. I was diagnosed in Toronto, Ontario and received care from Princess Margaret Hospital.
At diagnosis, I learned the cancer spread to my brain (4 spots) and liver (3 spots). I had a partially collapsed lung and blood clots in both legs. In the beginning, I had 5 rounds of radiation to the lung (more palliative than anything), gamma knife radiation to the brain and started on Alectinib (targeted therapy), all within a month of diagnosis. Within a year, there was no longer any cancer in my liver or brain.
Eight months later in 2021, my partner and I moved to Victoria, BC to fulfill a dream we had prior to my diagnosis. The move gave me the confidence to still live on my terms with a cancer diagnosis. In the Fall of 2022, I had progression in my brain. I had SRS (radiation) and have been seeing success since.
I have learned a lot about the differences in health care and medication coverage across Canada. I have been employed and unemployed throughout my diagnosis which has given me even more experiences (my career is marketing in tech). In 2023 I had the opportunity to participate on Advocacy Day at Parliament Hill to push for better lung health for Canadians. I’ve shared my story with Lung Health Foundation, was part of Lung Cancer Awareness month programming and had my story published in Health Monitor magazine in the U.S.