Ivy Elkins

I put my younger son’s final class picture in a frame that I purchased when he started kindergarten. This picture frame has a spot for class pictures from every school...

I was diagnosed seven years ago, on December 26, 2013. In past years, I have celebrated my cancerversary with my family by taking trips to warm places during the last...

I certainly am! I plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as I am allowed given the State of Illinois guidelines. As someone living with lung cancer and on...

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, survivor guilt is defined as “a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress experienced by someone who has survived an incident in which...

Patient advocate Janet Freeman-Daily and I were invited to give a presentation recently at IASLC’s 2020 North American Conference on Lung Cancer (NACLC) about patient-driven research and why it is...

LungCancer.net shares the stories and experiences of people living with lung cancer. We are highlighting the story of our advocate Ivy who learned about her stage IV lung cancer in...

By now, my family and I have been seriously socially distancing since mid-March. While I see others on Facebook taking vacations, eating in outdoor restaurants with groups of people, taking...

When I was first diagnosed with lung cancer, many friends and family members told me to “stay positive.” As someone who just found out she had stage IV lung cancer...

Now that we are all living under the threat of COVID-19, clinical trials have become a topic of daily discussions for everyone. When will we have a vaccine? Why can’t...

Last summer, I was preparing for my older son’s departure for his freshman year at a university over 800 miles away. While I shopped for dorm necessities, attended local meet-ups...

Recently, the American Association of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) came out with language guidelines for all of their meetings and communications. The goal of these guidelines, called “The Language of Respect,”...

Save the date now for World Lung Cancer Day 2020! The first World Lung Cancer Day was celebrated in 2012 and it continues to be recognized each year on August...

In the past few weeks, I have attended both the AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) annual meeting and the COA (Community Oncology Alliance) annual meeting -- no travel needed...

As living creatures, we are biologically wired to thrive on routines. Have you ever heard of circadian rhythms? According to the NIH, "circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes...

Often, when I tell a new acquaintance that I am living with lung cancer, I am met with disbelief. I am asked: YOU have lung cancer? Not enough of the...

It’s now a little over three months since my lobectomy in February and my life is completely different from what I expected. By now, I had hoped to be getting...

I’ve read a number of posts on online patient forums lately about scan frequency and types ordered. Many advanced lung cancer patients have CT scans every three months, but others...

I have never considered myself someone who is afraid of heights. I love to go to the top of the tallest building around when visiting a new place and see...

What is the Sandwich Generation? According to Wikipedia, the Sandwich Generation is a generation of people (usually in their 40s to 70s) who care for their aging parents while supporting...

Starting from the very first days after I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013, I realized the importance that nurses would play in my new normal. My oncologist’s nurse...