Patti Henry

I grew up in Philadelphia, PA. I currently live at the beach in New Jersey. Growing up in a city exposes you to a multitude of environmental hazards. Looking back, I am not at all surprised by the health issues that plague me today. I am a mom with three adult children. They are supportive, concerned, and engaged in my health journey. They keep me laughing and fill my life with joy.

I contribute to LungCancer.net wearing two different hats. I am a lung cancer survivor (in October 2020 I will have 7 years of no evidence of disease) and I lost my mom to lung cancer in October 2019. My siblings and I were her caregivers and her advocates.

Lung cancer has had a dramatic and drastic impact on my life. Watching my mom in her final days was traumatic and sad. However, her end was in stark contrast to the life she lived while dealing with lung cancer. The treatments available to her provided her with 2 1/2 years of quality time, living her life to the fullest and enjoying time with her family and friends. And that time was far longer than the 4-6 months we were told at the time of her diagnosis. While there is loss, there is gratitude as well.

As for me, lung cancer has caused so many overwhelming changes and obstacles in my life. No matter how difficult these circumstances are, I am completely grateful to have my life. I am determined to live it to the fullest, look past the obstacles and keep moving forward.

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