Participation in Lung Health Cohort Research Study Leads to Early Cancer Diagnosis

When a family member of a close friend, also in her 30s, was diagnosed with lung cancer, Cindy told her, “‘You can ask me anything; I will be honest.’ There are all these weird things that can happen, and you’re not ready for it. It sucks. I hate that it happened me, and if I can help one person along the way, I will.”

Cindy urges everyone to stay vigilant about their health and symptoms. “If you have lungs, you can get lung cancer. No one is immune to this. I have never smoked a cigarette. I grew up with asthma and I always prioritized my lung health. I tell people to listen to their own bodies—100%! If you have a nagging cough, go to the doctor. Hunt until you have an answer. Be persistent and find physicians you can trust.”

And while she is always grateful that her cancer was caught early, her feelings about her diagnosis, and what she’s been through ebb and flow, especially in the days and weeks before follow-up scans, every six months. 

“Personally, there are days when I still feel like it’s not real, or sometimes when I’m talking about it, I feel like I’m telling somebody else’s story,” said Cindy. “At times, I feel unlucky to have received a lung cancer diagnosis at the age of 35.”

On the positive side, “I have been introduced to so many fantastic people through the Lung Association who have also been impacted by lung cancer,” she said.

The Lung Association is also “investing in incredible research and I’m hopeful that we’re heading in the direction where more and more people can be like me; where they catch the cancer early and its more treatable, and people have a better chance,” she said. “The passion is there.”

The Lung Health Cohort Research Study is conducted through the Lung Association’s Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) Network, which is largest national non-profit clinical network dedicated to asthma and COPD research. The multi-site study is administered through the ACRC under the American Lung Association Research Institute. The Lung Health Cohort Research Study longitudinal study is funded by a $24.8 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

The Lung Association also offers information, resources, including mentors and support groups, and many ways to get involved and help others. “Heck, just call the Lung Helpline if you have any lung health related questions or concerns, no matter how small.”

“It’s been a wild ride,” Cindy said, “but it could have been a much worse one, for sure. I’m hopeful for the future of lung cancer for us all.”

Learn more about the Lung Health Cohort Research Study at Lung.org/lung-study and learn more about how you can help stand against cancer at LUNGFORCE.org.