Susan OKeefe

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😊😃😉☺️

On September 28, 2021, I was diagnosed at the George Washington University Medical Center with Stage IIA lung cancer with a lepedic pattern and a mutation. I had a partial lung resection on November 12th by Dr. Battaforano at Johns Hopkins. Following surgery, I had chemo from January 10 through March 29, 2022. Because I am lucky enough to have cancer with a mutation, I’ll be taking Tagrisso for 3 years. I see Dr. Levy, the Head of Medical Oncology at Sibley Memorial Hospital also part of Johns Hopkins. I’m receiving excellent care in that Dr. Levy spent 10 years at Sloan-Ketteringis very knowledgeable about all the latest research. Dr. Levy is very personable and empathetic. He has told me (fingers crossed) that we’re going for a cure. That keeps my anxiety at bay, that’s for sure! I’m having scans every 4 months and seeing my oncologist every 2 months so he can review my bloodwork and discuss and concerns I have. Although I have a very good prognosis, I know that cancer is an unpredictable predator. I had breast cancer in 2011 so another cancer could develop elsewhere independent of my lung cancer.

I’d like to join a lung cancer support group so I can be a part of a community who can share their experience with post chemo treatment. In addition, I’d like to participate in this year’s LUNGevity walk in D.C. this fall to bring awareness of lung cancer and raise funds from family and friends to fund research to better understand how lung cancer develops, how lung cancer could be detected at an early stage lung cancer and develop better treatments that prolong life and even cure lung cancer.