Soon after returning home from a family trip to Orlando, Jalonna’s mom, Vanessa, began to feel sick. She had always been very healthy, known for taking long, daily walks around her neighborhood, eating a well-balanced diet and never smoking. However, she found herself extremely lethargic and short of breath for no reason. Her healthcare provider prescribed antibiotics, initially suspecting an infection, but two weeks later, things had gotten worse. Upon returning to her doctor for a follow-up, she received some truly shocking news. Vanessa informed her family that her healthcare provider believed she had stage IV lung cancer.
“There was nothing in her history or our family history that would lead us to believe this type of diagnosis could happen,” Jalonna said. Shaken and confused, the family sought a second opinion while Vanessa started her first round of chemo. But Vanessa’s illness was progressing rapidly, and she ended up in the hospital again. She would never return home, passing away just three months after her initial symptoms and before getting the results of the second opinion.
“We were just at a loss as to how this could have happened to someone so vibrant and healthy,” Jalonna said. “That was a difficult few months because I was watching this strong woman struggle, and she had never been that way before. And we couldn’t help but wonder if there was something we or the doctors could have done differently.”
Honoring Vanessa through Advocacy
When Jalonna’s mom was first diagnosed, her sister did some research to find out all she could about stage IV lung cancer, which led them to the American Lung Association website. Unfortunately, the rapid rate of Vanessa’s disease meant that seeking more online help took a backseat until after she passed. “My mom has always had a servant’s heart, so participating in walks, runs and other forms of giving back had always been a part of our lives,” Jalonna explained. “Soon after she passed, we saw that a LUNG FORCE Walk was taking place in Atlanta. We felt like it was an opportunity to genuinely honor her in a way that she would appreciate. It just felt like something she would do because she loved these kinds of events, and helping others, so it felt like a great way to pay homage and feel close to her.” Jalonna found the event to be just what her family needed. The other participants listened to her story and shared their own, and Jalonna and her family felt a sense of community they had rarely seen before. Since then, they have been heavily involved in LUNG FORCE events as a way to continue to honor Vanessa.
Last year, Jalonna participated in Advocacy Day where she met with many other LUNG FORCE Heroes and shared her story with members of Congress. She was impressed by the entire event, saying it was one of the most thrilling experiences of her life. But, most importantly, she felt honored to tell her mother’s story in hopes of creating change. “I feel like my mom communicates with us through these events. Advocacy Day was right around her birthday, and it was in DC, which was a trip we weren’t able to take when I was younger, it just felt like kismet. It was such a special experience.”
Jalonna is determined to continue to advocate for lung cancer awareness, whether that be through attending the annual Walk or encouraging others to learn about their health.
Learning Difficult Life Lessons
That looming need to keep this from happening again or to another family has driven Jalonna and her sister to learn all they can about preventive care. “My sister and I are very involved in making sure our friends and family go to regular checkups, take their prescribed medication and go to any other suggested appointments,” Jalonna said. “We are now aware of screening guidelines because we felt like there must have been something they missed with my mom, and we never wanted that to happen again.”
Jalonna believes that we all need to be more involved with our health, something that sometimes takes a backseat to others' well-being as we age. “Parents tend to pay closer attention to their children’s health and make sure they have yearly checkups but as we become adults, I feel like sometimes these important appointments fall by the wayside.”
Lastly, Jalonna has learned the importance of advocating for yourself and asking for what you need. “Doctors do their best, but they are not all knowing, it’s a team effort. You need to know your body and your habits in order to communicate that there is a problem. Be confident and ask for what you need even if it may seem out of the ordinary.”
Blog last updated: November 20, 2024
