GReensboro Advocate

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Non-Smoker Diagnosed With Lung Cancer At 34

Cathy Rose, a mother of three, says she went to the doctor for a cough and later learned she had lung cancer.

Greensboro -- Cathy Rose says she went to the doctor for a cough, and a few weeks later she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

"I would have never thought I could have gotten cancer at the age that I am, let alone lung cancer," said Rose, a 34-year-old with three small children. "Lung cancer is not just a smoker's cancer."

After suffering from a persistent cough for three weeks, Rose says she went to the doctor in February. "They did chest x-rays and thought I have pneumonia," she said. "I still wasn't getting better." A few weeks later, tests results revealed she had lung cancer. "It is very shocking and frustrating."

Rose says the cancer cells in her body are not responding to surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. "The prognosis is not good," she said. "I can't sit here thinking I'm going to die tomorrow. I have to put all of my energy toward fighting this cancer."

By sharing her story, Rose hopes to raise awareness about the need for lung cancer research. Click on the link below to read more about Rose's experience battling cancer.

http://www.digtriad.com/news/pdf/before_lung_cancer.pdf.

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