My Lung Cancer Resume

I’ve done so much advocacy for lung cancer that I didn’t want to forget everything I’ve done. So another lung cancer sister told me to do a lung cancer resume.

I thought, "Hmmm, why not." That’s a great idea, and that's what I have done here.

I also thought about how my grandchildren could see everything I’ve done to change how lung cancer was viewed and how hard I fought for many to see that we matter too. I have hopes that they will pick up where I left off.

Making a difference with advocacy

Yes, I’ve done so much. Some volunteered, and some were paid, but I’m so happy to be a part of it. At least I know that when it’s time for me to exit this world, I did my part to make a difference in the lung cancer world.

My lung cancer resume looks like a typical job resume. A heading on the left says my name, and underneath, it says lung cancer survivor and advocate. To the right, it says, “based in Indiana.” Then it says, “My story, journey, and hope.” There is a small description of when I was diagnosed and all the treatments I have done.

Reserach advocacy

It’s followed and broken down by categories. The first category is research advocacy. I participated in the Department of Defense, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Consumer Reviewer, and Lung Cancer Research Program in September 2021, September 2020, and November 2018.

I also was awarded the Patient Travel Grant and attended the 2018 World Conference on Lung Cancer for the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).

Organization-based advocacy

The next category is organization-based advocacy, which I’ve done for different organizations. Here are a few I’ve done recently.

I was a panelist for the ACS (American Cancer Society) NLCR (National Lung Cancer Roundtable) to end lung cancer stigmas in April of 2023. I participated in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Stigma Stories in April of 2022. I joined the LungCancer.net team in 2022. I became a lung cancer influencer for Health Union Campaign in 2022 and many other amazing works for LUNGevity, LCFA (Lung Cancer Foundation of America), and GO2 for Lung Cancer.

Industry advocacy

Then the next category is industry advocacy, and that’s joining patients' advisory boards, councils, webinars, panel discussions,s, and conversations. I have and/or continue participating with Janssen, Roche, Nestle Health Science, Pfizer, Amgen, Takeda, GRYT Health, and Blueprint Medicines.

Media-based advocacy

Followed by media-based advocacy, such as: appearing in the Bonnie J. Addario book “The Living Room. A Lung Cancer Community for Courage.” My story on Patient Resource- Cancer Guide, Cancer Grace - Patient Interview, Lung Cancer Profile, Cure Magazine, my local newspaper, the patient story at the University of Chicago Medicine, and making my television debut on the Dr. Phil Show.

Then I end it with a short personal paragraph and all my contact information. This includes my address, cell phone number, and social media.

I want my grandchildren to know I never stopped or quit. Even though there were a lot of times I wanted to throw in the towel, I didn’t because of them.