My brother Kim was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Chemo and radiation did extremely well by him. A second opinion concurred. He succumbed to this disease on 11/7/10.
One month after my brother's death, my mother was diagnosed with resectable lung cancer. Again the doctors treated us very well. After many trips to Boston for surgical consults she had the right lower lobe removed in April 2011. Up and walking just a few hours after surgery and pain controlled by Tylenol. She was "cured". But a cure was not meant to be. She succumbed to lung cancer on 11/7/11, on the one year anniversary of her son/my brother's death.
Smoking cessation, early detection through screenings and improved air quality are three important services that the American Lung Association promotes. Let's make stories like mine and my family's a thing of the past.