Imagine preparing for the joy of welcoming a second child, only to be diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

Despite living a healthy, active life, I—like so many others—was not immune. Lung cancer does not discriminate; it affects young and old, men and women, smokers and nonsmokers alike.

Thanks to groundbreaking advancements in treatment and research, led by experts like Dr. Ross Camidge at UC Health, hope is on the rise. Their cutting-edge approach has quadrupled the five-year lung cancer survival rate compared to the national average.

With continued innovation, lung cancer can become a manageable disease, allowing people like me to live longer, fuller lives. My fight is not just for myself but for all those impacted, in hopes that future families are spared the heartache of this disease.