When Karen was first diagnosed with lung cancer at age 47, it came as a complete shock. A healthy, never-smoker with no family history, she suddenly found herself facing surgery to remove part of her lung and rounds of chemotherapy. For eight years her scans were clear—until the cancer returned in her ribs. Now living with stage 4 lung cancer, she is facing this new challenge with the same determination she had at the very beginning.
What gives Karen strength is the progress that’s been made in lung cancer research. Eight years ago, her mutation wasn’t even identifiable. Today, doctors not only know what it is, but there are already FDA-approved treatments available. Karen continues to live life fully—biking, traveling, taking classes—and believes every patient deserves to feel this hopeful. Her story is a powerful reminder that advances in treatment are giving people more options, more time, and more hope than ever before. (Source: Karen V. Blog)
