Sally's Story

It was a shock to be diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer as I didn’t realise that never smokers could get it. I had smoked less than 10 cigarettes in my life.

 

I was diagnosed in November 2013 so it is now more than 10 years since I started on this journey. I have been fortunate that research has progressed so much during this time, treatments have changed and the toxicity of treatments reduced.

 

I was initially treated with chemotherapy and then maintenance chemotherapy for a year. I then started with my first targeted medication which was a tablet called crizotinib which I took twice a day. I was fortunate to be on this treatment for 3 years 10 months. During this time, I also had targeted radiotherapy to two tumours on my brain. I then started my second targeted medication brigatinib which involves taking two tablets a day. I have now been on this treatment for 5 years.

 

As the treatments for this type of cancer have changed, people are living longer and it is being treated more like a chronic condition. It’s been an up and down journey but I am still here after 10 years and intend to be here for many more.