CindyA

Hi Rose, I am so excited that you signed up as a mentor. You play a vital part in providing hope. That's very ADMIRABLE! Will you be attending the HOPE Summit? I just wanted to personally invite you to LUNGevity's 5th Annual HOPE Summit. I was told we still have a few hotel rooms available. Once you register please let me know and I can contact my colleague and let her know that I personally invited you. It's a great opportunity to learn about which treatments are available and connect with others who are going through this journey as well. I will post the link below. www.LUNGevity.org/dchope The $50 registration fee will cover materials, and meals for the weekend. Upon approval the travel grant would cover round trip airfare and 2 nights hotel stay. After you register, then complete the travel grant application which is separate from the registration. http://lungevity.donordrive.com/assets/lungevity/files/$cms$/100/1140.pdf I look forward to hearing back from you. -Best, Cindy

Hi Alive, I'm sorry you are going through this. I hope you will receive more information about your condition soon. Wishing you strength & healing.

Hi Cindy, what a cool name! Welcome to the LUNGevity Lung Cancer Support Community. My mother is an AP and I am sure ready for her to retire. It's so nice to read that you are still connected to your "kids" and enjoying their journeys as well. If you ever have any questions. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me. calmendarez@lungevity.org. Wishing you strength and healing.

Hi Donna! I've always liked that saying. The sun is shinning here in Dallas too. It is currently 75 degrees here. We are expecting rain, that's good though because our lakes could use it before the summer comes. I hope you have a beautiful day too! Cindy

Baltimore area opportunity: Late Stage Lung Cancer - Baltimore Research is currently seeking patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or caregivers of said patients to participate in focus groups. If you are one or the other, we have a $175 paid focus group opportunity for you. Message your contact information at kbrown@lungevity.org if you would like to participate.

Posted on March 12, 2015 - 8:00am Kenneth Lourie For the past year, every three weeks I have been infused with a chemotherapy drug called Alimta, “the last miracle drug,” to quote my oncologist, and a drug with which I hadn’t previously been infused. The fear then and now is that once this drug stops working – and for the last 12 months the results have been extremely encouraging – my alternatives, given my underlying kidney issues, are grim. The reason being, if I understand correctly, (and there’s an excellent chance that I don’t) is that cancer cells don’t respond nearly as well to repeated exposure to the same drug. They sort of become accustomed to it and subsequent treatment is much less effective, if at all, so some other drug has to be prescribed with the chance of continuing success hardly guaranteed. My current treatment is working so well that when I asked my oncologist if perhaps we could spread out my infusions an extra week to allow my body to recuperate a bit, his answer was an emphatic “No.” Because it is working so well, and because I have so few alternatives if change were truly necessary, the status should remain quo (which is no problem, really). However, within the last six months or so of this treatment, I have experienced a change in my post-chemo week symptoms. Food, uncharacteristically, has no appeal to me. Psychologically, the prospect of eating food with which I am exceedingly familiar is a complete turnoff. Complicated by the extremely-less-than-satisfying aftertaste, the combination presents food challenges all day long. The result is that I lose my appetite, lose the enjoyment I derive from eating, lose energy/fuel to maintain my normal routine, upset my sleep, then become tired and depressed about the whole cycle of gloom I’ve just described. And so far, there seems to be nothing I can do, nothing I can eat, nothing I can change to affect this pattern. I just have to wait it out. It takes a week or so to pass. Granted, in the scheme of cancer things, considering I am alive and reasonably well 67 months post-diagnosis, this blip is certainly manageable and nothing really to complain about; more something to write about as I so regularly do, sharing in sometimes excruciating details the ups and downs and all-arounds of living in the cancer lane. And therein lies the key word: “living” with cancer, as in, I’m still writing (wink, wink). And though I would prefer to not have been originally diagnosed back in February, 2009, I have made the most of it nonetheless, and shared “the most of it” with you regular readers. What I think I have learned in this entire cancer experience (hardly could one call it an adventure) is a type of patience; where context, perspective and controlling expectations, both good and bad – are fundamental to surviving. Fortunately, I’ve experienced more good than bad, but the fact that now I regularly experience a bad week shouldn’t cloud my judgment. I’m still incredibly lucky during that week, just hungry and tired, and not in a very good mood. It’s not perfect by any means, but perfect left the building on February 27, 2009. ___________________________________________ What tips do you have for those of us in treatment? ___________________________________________ “This column is my life as one of the fortunate few; a lung cancer anomaly: a stage IV lung cancer patient who has outlived his doctor’s original prognosis; and I’m glad to share it. It seems to help me cope writing about it. Perhaps it will help you relate reading about it.” Mr. Lourie’s columns can be found at www.connectionnewspapers.com(link is external). (key word, Lourie) Read Kenneth Lourie’s 1st LUNGevity blog post & bio. http://lungevity.org/support-survivorship/get-connected/blog/post-chemo-weak

I love to communicate with different and interesting words. I think words are delicious and I think the right words can inspire others, especially over the internet. Some people may blame my love of words and catchy phrases on my past pee-wee cheer-leading experience (an elementary version of “Bring it On!”) or the fact that I was a reporter for my college paper (yes it was actual newsprint back then) or maybe it’s because I’m a mom to two really clever kids, who teach me new words and phrases everyday. For whatever reasons, I love words. I also love to make up words. Making up words and phrases is my thing. When I’m having a bad day, things are “craptastic”. When something I’m counting on falls through, that’s a “poop-thing” to happen. When I’m having a great day things are “awe-MAZING” or “beautimous” and when I’m describing our annual HOPE Summit , it’s “HOPEtacular.” I know it’s not the most professional language to use, but the patients and families I support see enough professionals on a daily basis. By the time they get to me, they are looking for patient navigation, emotional and practical support, a one on one real time connection, and hopefully at the very least, a smile. Those are things I can deliver on. CRITICS AND PESSIMISTS Recently I was cautioned by a fellow survivor over the use of some of my descriptive words. Survivor. Strength. Hope. Warrior. I’ve read the handful of articles over the years who have said that words of “hope” and “strength” and “survivorship” don’t cure cancer and are just an added pressure placed onto patients. They want people like me to “get real” and not offer false hope. I can truthfully say I’m the first person to “be” real and not offer false hope. I’ve held the hands of each of my parents as they took their last breaths and I’ve lost countless to lung cancer in my 13 years as a patient advocate in the lung cancer community. That’s as “real” as it gets, folks. While I realize the seriousness of what people impacted by lung cancer go through, as a cancer survivor myself I also believe that every day should be celebrated in some way. Words like hope and strength, courage and fighter have been used to describe people impacted by cancer long before I ever became a patient advocate. The difference is I use these kinds of words to describe and inspire those with lung cancer. HOPE IN RESEARCH Historically, a lung cancer diagnosis was never thought of as “hopeful”. It has been described as a death sentence. There were rarely any “survivors” and the word “strong” wasn’t used to describe someone who had been diagnosed with the deadliest cancer killer and going through extremely harsh treatments. While lung cancer still claims the lives of more people than any other cancer and still receives the least in funding dollars, there has been marked progress in the 12 years since my dad was diagnosed. The science is very encouraging and LUNGevity, the largest lung cancer nonprofit, funds more lung cancer research than anyone else. I’m seeing more people live longer with lung cancer and live with it as a chronic disease. I see an integrative and interactive medical community and collaborative treatment team. I see young researchers excited and interested in making an impact against this disease. I see a better quality of life for people diagnosed with lung cancer, clinical trials and many more treatment options today than 10 years ago. We have a very long way to go in our pursuit of making lung cancer a survivable disease at all stages of diagnosis, but there has been progress. SURVIVORS DO EXIST Patients feel stronger. They feel hopeful. I’m meeting more and more multi-year survivors. Through events like the HOPE Summit they feel empowered to make their survivorship the best it can be- whether that survivorship is just months long or many years long. And that IS hopeful. I don’t mean to negate the gravity of a lung cancer diagnosis when I use the word “hope”. I don’t ever mean to imply a positive attitude and some crafty words is all anyone needs to survive this disease. What I do mean to do is inspire and encourage people with my words. I use the stories of survivors to inspire people who are newly diagnosed so that they don’t feel isolated or alone. When I see a photo of a stage 4 survivor in active treatment, who has a multitude of side effects, walk on a treadmill or complete a cancer walk, the words I use to describe that patient are COURAGEOUS and LUNGevity STRONG. No. No amount of cheerleading and none of these clever words or descriptions will cure lung cancer. But let me tell you what it can do. Words can make you laugh or smile. They can inspire someone on the brink of despair. Words can refill lost hopefulness. They can offer emotional support to someone who otherwise may have no one. Words can educate someone enough to get a second opinion, to ask questions, speak to their doctors and empower them to advocate for themselves and improve their quality of life. I think that’s HOPETASTIC.

WASHINGTON (March 2015) – LUNGevity Foundation, the nation’s leading lung cancer nonprofit, applauds the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Bristol Myers Squibb’s new immunotherapy drug Opdivo (nivolumab). Opdivo and other immunotherapy treatments add another critical new treatment option to fight lung cancer by harnessing the power of a patient’s own immune system to fight cancerous cells. Importantly, this drug has been approved specifically for patients with squamous cell lung cancer, a population for which there have been few new treatment options. “The FDA approval of Bristol Myers Squibb’s new drug Opdivo is an important step in bringing this game-changing treatment to patients nationwide,” said Andrea Ferris, president and chairman of LUNGevity Foundation. “We are thrilled to have a new tool in the kit of treatment options for our lung cancer community. There is still a lot of work to be done in understanding the true impact of the treatment over the long term, but this is a very exciting development.” LUNGevity has been an ongoing investor in accelerating promising and innovative lung cancer research that helps find and treat the disease more effectively, including in the expanding field of immunotherapy. “Immunotherapy is transforming the lung cancer treatment paradigm, providing the most promising option yet in the second-line treatment for squamous cell lung cancer patients,” said Dr. Julie Brahmer, MD, LUNGevity scientific advisory board member and thoracic cancer director at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, and associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins. “There’s still work to be done to determine which immunotherapy can best help which patient and which treatment combinations are most successful. The results of the Opdivo trials show the critical importance of lung cancer research and the extraordinary power of collaboration of researchers, physicians, and patients. The concurrence of patient and research interests has expedited the process behind this treatment from basic research to clinical trials to the initial step toward immunotherapy existing as the primary treatment for lung cancer. This is just the tip of the iceberg.” Dr. David Carbone, MD, PhD, LUNGevity scientific advisory board member and director of the thoracic oncology center at The Ohio State University, concurs. “The revolutionary new field of immunotherapy has completely transformed the way we treat and understand the disease. While not a panacea for everyone, immunotherapy is a quantum leap for lung cancer treatments, and will only show more promise as research continues to unveil innovative and exciting ways to tap the potential of this therapy.” For more information on LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Aliza Bran abran@susandavis.com (202) 414-0798 WASHINGTON, February 2015 – To kick off Women in History month, LUNGevity Foundation announces Dr. Julie Brahmer, MD, as the March LUNGevity Hero for her work in the field of immunotherapy for lung cancer patients. Dr. Brahmer is a vocal advocate for lung cancer research, passionate doctor and professor of oncology, and innovative researcher. Growing up in Nebraska, she watched her grandfather battle non-Hodgkin lymphoma. As an eighteen-year-old, inspired by his struggle, she set the ambitious life goal of curing cancer. She earned a medical degree from the University of Nebraska, did her residency at the University of Utah, and completed oncology training at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Brahmer has become an international leader in the field of immunotherapy for patients with lung cancer. She is the author of more than 90 scholarly articles and has spoken on immunology at events nationwide, including LUNGevity’s HOPE Summit. She was recently named director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in January, adding to her title of Associate Professor of Oncology. Dr. Brahmer is best known for her research related to the phase one trial of the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab, an immunotherapy drug that has shown remarkable promise for lung cancer patients. The trial was concluded early when it met its endpoint with positive results two years ahead of schedule. “At the time I started, in 2000, the field of lung cancer research was wide open. Not a lot of people were interested, and there were no patient advocacy groups,” Dr. Brahmer shared. “I found lung cancer research exciting as I could make a difference for patients and for science.” Not only does Dr. Brahmer organize the Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Malignancy and oversee a $35 million investment in the program, but she is also a strong advocate for lung cancer research. She serves on the boards of several national foundations and speaks about the importance of the public perception and awareness of lung cancer, and the critical need to support future research. In 2014, Dr. Brahmer became a member of LUNGevity’s scientific advisory board, sharing the goal of further advancing research into the early detection and treatment of lung cancer. Her wide range of expertise has made her an asset to the LUNGevity team. “LUNGevity Foundation is honored to name our accomplished scientific advisory board member Dr. Brahmer as the March LUNGevity Hero for her extraordinary research, support, and dedication to the groundbreaking and transformative field of immunotherapy,” said Andrea Ferris, president and chairman of LUNGevity Foundation. “LUNGevity is fortunate to be witnessing first-hand the extraordinary impact Dr. Brahmer’s work has had and will continue to have on those fighting the disease. We are entering a revolutionary time for lung cancer research and Dr. Brahmer is at the forefront.” For more on Dr. Brahmer, see the LUNGevity Heroes blog at www.lungevity.org/heroes-blog. For more information on LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org. About Lung Cancer 1 in 15 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime More than 224,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year About 60% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers Lung cancer kills more people than the next three cancers (colorectal, breast, and pancreatic) combined Only 17% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it’s caught before it spreads, the chance for 5-year survival improves dramatically http://lungevity.org/about-us/media-resources/news-from-foundation/dr-julie-brahmer-md-named-march-lungevity-hero-for

LUNGevity Foundation Applauds FDA Approval of Immunotherapy Drug Opdivo Print this page New Therapy Will Harness the Power of Patients’ Own Immune Systems to Fight Lung Cancer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Aliza Bran abran@susandavis.com (202) 414-0798 WASHINGTON (March 2015) – LUNGevity Foundation, the nation’s leading lung cancer nonprofit, applauds the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Bristol Myers Squibb’s new immunotherapy drug Opdivo (nivolumab). Opdivo and other immunotherapy treatments add another critical new treatment option to fight lung cancer by harnessing the power of a patient’s own immune system to fight cancerous cells. Importantly, this drug has been approved specifically for patients with squamous cell lung cancer, a population for which there have been few new treatment options. “The FDA approval of Bristol Myers Squibb’s new drug Opdivo is an important step in bringing this game-changing treatment to patients nationwide,” said Andrea Ferris, president and chairman of LUNGevity Foundation. “We are thrilled to have a new tool in the kit of treatment options for our lung cancer community. There is still a lot of work to be done in understanding the true impact of the treatment over the long term, but this is a very exciting development.” LUNGevity has been an ongoing investor in accelerating promising and innovative lung cancer research that helps find and treat the disease more effectively, including in the expanding field of immunotherapy. “Immunotherapy is transforming the lung cancer treatment paradigm, providing the most promising option yet in the second-line treatment for squamous cell lung cancer patients,” said Dr. Julie Brahmer, MD, LUNGevity scientific advisory board member and thoracic cancer director at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, and associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins. “There’s still work to be done to determine which immunotherapy can best help which patient and which treatment combinations are most successful. The results of the Opdivo trials show the critical importance of lung cancer research and the extraordinary power of collaboration of researchers, physicians, and patients. The concurrence of patient and research interests has expedited the process behind this treatment from basic research to clinical trials to the initial step toward immunotherapy existing as the primary treatment for lung cancer. This is just the tip of the iceberg.” Dr. David Carbone, MD, PhD, LUNGevity scientific advisory board member and director of the thoracic oncology center at The Ohio State University, concurs. “The revolutionary new field of immunotherapy has completely transformed the way we treat and understand the disease. While not a panacea for everyone, immunotherapy is a quantum leap for lung cancer treatments, and will only show more promise as research continues to unveil innovative and exciting ways to tap the potential of this therapy.” For more information on LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org. About Lung Cancer 1 in 15 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime More than 221,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year About 60% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers Lung cancer kills more people than the next three cancers (colorectal, breast, and pancreatic) combined Only 17% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it’s caught before it spreads, the chance for 5-year survival improves dramatically About LUNGevity Foundation LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org. http://lungevity.org/about-us/media-resources/news-from-foundation/lungevity-foundation-applauds-fda-approval-of

By Kenneth Lourie One of my greatest fears (or regrets, if I am in fact the cause of my own decline) is that my own stubbornness, stupidity, “male blockheadedness” and/or refusal to believe/pay attention to signs, symptoms, indications and instructions/health advisories from my oncologist about my health will lead to my premature death. Not that a stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer diagnosee originally given a “13-month to two-year” prognosis still alive and writing – among other activities – five and a half years later should think it “premature” after so far outliving his original prognosis; nevertheless, having received this diagnosis at age 54 and a half has caused me to still characterize my death as potentially premature given the fact that both my parents lived well into their 80s. Their long life had led me to believe that I’d live just as long. Hearing what I heard from my oncologist back on February 27, 2009, at the initial Team Lourie meeting changed my thinking, however. Yet here I sit, not exactly “ensconced” in velvet as George Costanza loved, but alive and reasonably well, sitting “in the catbird seat” (to quote the late, great, legendary Red Barber, radio voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers {1939 -1953} and the New York Yankees {1954-1966}.) “Sittin’ pretty,” in the “rocking chair” are similar phrases of a type of good fortune. And considering my original set of extremely unfavorable circumstances – terminal cancer, inoperable, incurable, “perhaps you ought to take that trip you always dreamed of;” – I’m about as fortunate as one could be: sitting, rocking, standing, anything, in or out of the catbird seat or any other seat for that matter. Lucky doesn’t begin to summarize my amazing good fortune. And as much as I’ve done to affect my circumstances: diet, supplements, minerals, vitamins, non-western alternatives, holistic ideas, I certainly don’t want to stop now. (I grade myself a “B” on the how-good-I’m-doing scale; those who know my history would give me a higher grade, however.) But as live on, I try to pay closer attention to what my body is telling me, given that it may have outlived its ability to absorb the many poisons and toxins it has absorbed over these past five years having been subjected to almost non-stop chemotherapy, every three weeks – save for a 12-month break when I was able to take two pills a day instead. After all this time though, it’s still my nature to ignore, shrug off and even minimize some of what I feel and attribute it to age. (Believe me, it’s a lot easier than believing it’s the cancer.) I mean, I’m not getting any younger, and while the cancer is presumably impacting me in some way, I don’t want to take my above-average health for granted. Nor do I want to worry myself into an early grave, either. But if I’m not proactive and worried – and attentive to details, perhaps that innocence and hopefulness may very well be my undoing; even though I’m not ready to be undone. Regardless of what I do, or how I do it, sometimes I feel like my life is a done deal. And that’s what scares me – to be the victim of my own circumstances. ___________________________________________________________ Do you have fears you struggle with? ___________________________________________________________ “This column is my life as one of the fortunate few; a lung cancer anomaly: a stage IV lung cancer patient who has outlived his doctor’s original prognosis; and I’m glad to share it. It seems to help me cope writing about it. Perhaps it will help you relate reading about it.” Mr. Lourie’s columns can be found at www.connectionnewspapers.com(link is external). (key word, Lourie) Read Kenneth Lourie’s 1st LUNGevity blog post & bio http://lungevity.org/support-survivorship/get-connected/blog/scared-hopefully-not-to-death

MAY 1-3, 2015 Our National HOPE Summit takes place the first week of May, Lung Cancer HOPE Month. The goal of the weekend is to provide a summit for survivors with educational sessions covering topics like research, immunotherapy, ask the oncologist, pulmonary rehabilitation, communicating with your caregivers, managing your medical team, living with lung cancer, nutrition, writing and blogging, becoming an empowered advocate, and sharing lung cancer survivor stories. This 2½ days of celebrating lung cancer survivorship is an experience you won't want to miss. http://lungevity.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=534

I'm sorry to hear about your wife, but I am glad to hear that she is getting treatment. I'm hoping someone in our group can relate to you and jot down a few words. LUNGevity has a lot of places to learn, it has a wealth of information so please take your time. www.LUNGevity.org Please keep us posted on how you and your wife are doing.

Hi Phil, I hear scanxiety is very real. Do you have any hobbies that you like to do that may help to take your mind off of the "what's next" at least temporarily?

Hi Eric, it sounds like you are living life to its fullest, I love that! Like Katie mentioned it's cold here in Texas. It's actually snowing. It's beautiful to watch. Thank you for sharing your journey with us, for a minute I thought I was on vacation too. I look forward to your next update!

Hi Don! Nice to hear this great news!

Hi Teri, Welcome to the LCSC message boards. I too am glad you seeked out 3 opinions. I have met a couple of people at the LUNGevity HOPE Summits who are living well with one lung if that helps any. I hope someone with surgery experience will come in and comment soon. LUNGevity offers a one-on-one LifeLine Program that will connect you with a personal mentor who has gone through a similar experience as yours. This is a free service. Here is the link to sign up http://lungevity.org/support-survivorship/get-connected/lungevity-lifeline I look forward to your updates. Sending positive thoughts your way.

TAMPA HOPE SUMMIT A survivorship conference for anyone who has ever been diagnosed with lung cancer Saturday, March 7, 2015 While lung cancer survivors are encouraged and invited to attend, caregivers and medical professionals wanting to learn more about lung cancer survivorship are also welcome to register to attend. All conference sessions will be geared toward those who have been diagnosed with lung cancer. LOCATIONMoffitt Cancer Center Vincent A. Stabile Research Building, Ted and Marty Couch Auditorium 12902 Magnolia Drive Tampa, FL 33612 REGISTER NOW OR Attend by webinar! Register to attend online via Zoom. ABOUT THIS EVENTOn Saturday, March 7, in Tampa, Florida, LUNGevity is partnering with Patient Power for HOPE Summit Live! — a free in-person forum at Moffitt Cancer Center, where you and your loved one can hear the latest in treatment and research from leading lung cancer experts. Hear about emerging therapies, understand current treatment options, and learn about support resources. During this interactive summit, you will have the opportunity to meet and to connect with experts, other patients, survivors, and caregivers touched by lung cancer. Our hope is that you’ll share your knowledge with your peers, learn, and become inspired! Please join us in person for this FREE interactive summit to learn: Explaining lung cancer todayWhat do we know and what do we do about it? Where are we headed and how quickly? How is this personalized to you? What does this mean to you? Patient, caregiver, nurse, and social worker perspective: how to live well Tips and resources How and when to get support Financial, social, and logistical information Our expert panel will take your submitted questions, and advocates will be on hand to offer support and to connect with a broad range of resources. GUEST PRESENTERSDavid Carbone, MD, PhD Director, James Thoracic Center, James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute Scott J. Antonia, MD, PhD Program Leader, Thoracic Oncolocy, Moffitt Cancer Center SPONSORSThis in-person forum is sponsored by the Patient Empowerment Network through educational grants from Pfizer, Genentech, and Novartis, with additional funding from LUNGevity. http://lungevity.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=532

By Susan Levy http://meals-to-heal.com/blog/forget-new-years-resolutions/ Portuguese Lentil Soup 1 2 3 4 5 Last year we were on Cape Cod and lunched on a Portuguese soup, thick with kale and sausage. This is our heart-healthy twist on that classic. Our version offers lentils, which provide great fiber and folate, low-calorie, nutrient-dense kale and spicy chicken sausage for flavoring. Course Soups/Stews Cuisine Mediterranean Servings 6people Ingredients ½ pound spicy chicken sausage (about 3), sliced into ½-inch pieces 1 small onion, diced 1 cup lentils picked over, rinsed 3 cups water 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth ½ bunch kale, collards, or Swiss chard stems and center ribs discarded and sliced thin (about 2 cups) 1 tablespoon lemon juice Fresh ground black pepper Instructions In a 3-quart heavy saucepan, brown sausage over moderate heat. Add onion and cook until soft and golden. Add lentils, water and broth and bring to boil. Simmer covered, 30 minutes, or until lentils are almost tender. Add greens and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, 10 minutes. Just before serving, add lemon juice and sprinkle pepper to taste. Recipe Notes Per serving: 233 calories, 16g protein, 25g carbohydrate, 11g fiber, 8g fat, 2g sat fat, 3g mono fat, 20mg cholesterol, 328mg sodium THE SEASONED COOK Take advantage of the vast array of winter greens, collards, Swiss chard, and escarole in this easy to make soup. Make a large batch to enjoy leftovers, freeze, or feed a crowd with a green salad and hearty bread.

LifeLine Partners can be a vital part of a newly diagnosed patient's support system and can help navigate through the logistics and emotions of a lung cancer diagnosis. Are you ready to INSPIRE someone with your story? Become a LifeLine Mentor today. http://lungevity.org/support-survivorship/get-connected/lungevity-lifeline

Hi Ryan, thank you for sharing your story! Welcome to the message boards. I'm so happy to read that you are doing well. If you have any recipes you'd like to share with us please feel free to post them in the link that RandyW posted above. I look forward to seeing more of your inspiring posts and getting to know you better.

Hi Phyllynj, I'm sorry you are having to go through this. Please know that you are not alone and we are here for you. That's a shame about your BF & the kids. There is HOPE! Is there an activity that you used to do that maybe you can do with your kids to inspire them to have hope as well? You mentioned running, what about walks with the kids? You mentioned you have a lot of questions and no answers. Have you considered a 2nd opinion? Here are some links that may help with some answers. The website has an abundance of information. http://lungevity.org/about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-101/treatment-options/small-cell-lung-cancer-by-stage http://lungevity.org/support-survivorship/asking-right-questions/questions Please keep me posted & let me know if I can help you in anyway.

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This is wonderful news! Thank you for the update!

January Food of the Month: Leeks By Liv Scheinbaum (Meals To Heal - http://meals-to-heal.com/blog/) Leeks are part of the Allium family, which also includes garlic, onion, scallions and chives. This aromatic veggie is low in calories, about 54 calories for 1 cup of raw leeks, but packed with a subtle flavor that makes them perfect to toss into soups and salads, or sauté as a tasty side dish all on its own. Leeks are an excellent source of vitamin K and very good sources of vitamin B6, manganese, copper, iron and folate. Although they are less researched than garlic and onions, the limited existing research suggests an association with a decreased risk of cancer, particularly cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, due to their sulfer-containing stalks. (TO READ THE FULL VERSION OF THIS BLOG POST, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE) Roasted Halibut & Leeks with Citrus-Chive Butter Makes 2 servings For the citrus-chive butter 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature Zest of 1 clementine or orange 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 1 pinch sea salt For the roasted halibut and leeks 4 leeks, about 1 inch in diameter or less 2 portions halibut fillet, about 1/3 pound each Juice from 1 clementine 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted Sea salt and freshly ground pepper Make a compound butter by combining the butter, clementine zest, chopped chives, and pinch of salt in a small bowl. Stir the mixture with a spatula until ingredients are evenly distributed. Shape the butter into a quenelle or a log and chill in the fridge until firm, about half an hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the leeks: Take off their roots and coarse green tops. Slice the leeks almost in two with a lengthwise cut from the top end to within two inches of the root base. Submerge the leeks in water and agitate them to remove any dirt. Simmer the leeks in a separate (large) pot of water until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the leeks and finish the lengthwise cut to divide the leeks into two halves. Butter two gratin dishes or one larger casserole dish and place the leeks on the bottom. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the melted butter. Season the leeks with a couple pinches of salt. Place each halibut fillet atop its own bed of leeks. Pour clementine juice over the halibut along with the other tablespoon olive oil. Season the fish with a couple pinches of salt and a bit of freshly ground white pepper. Roast the fish in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the halibut is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Remove the halibut and leeks from the oven and serve immediately with a slice of citrus-chive butter on top. Sources: World’s Healthiest Foods. WHFoods Recommendations.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=26. Accessed January 27, 2015. Nicastro HL, Ross SA and Milner JA. Garlic and onions: Their cancer prevention properties. Cancer Prevention Research. 2015. [Epub ahead of print.] Xiao HB, Fang J, Yang Lu X, Chen, XJ, Tan C, Liang Sun Z. Protective effects of kaempferol against endothelial damage by an improvement in nitric oxide production and a decrease in asymmetric dimethylarginine level. Eur J Pharmacol. 2009;616(1-3):213-222. Food 52. Roasted Halibut & Leeks wit Citrus-Chive Butter.http://food52.com/recipes/15725-roasted-halibut-leeks-with-citrus-chive-butter. Accessed January 27, 2015.