Nancy spent almost three years suppressing her chronic cough before her symptoms escalated. As a hospital emergency department manager, she believed her cough was nothing serious — until a horrible pain forced her to seek treatment for kidney stones. While the doctor was talking with her, Nancy could no longer hide her cough, which became so violent that she coughed up blood. Though it was not related to the kidney stones, her doctor decided Nancy needed a chest X-ray and CT scan right away. “I wasn’t worried. I was just going with the flow. Then they returned to my room with the chaplain, and I began to feel scared,” she recalled.
Her doctor told her that she had lung cancer, which seemed impossible to Nancy because she was young, active, and had no idea that lung cancer can affect people with or without a smoking history. “But that is the stigma, which I learned more about later. The truth is anyone can get lung cancer,” she said. She decided to get a second opinion, which after another round of tests confirmed her diagnosis of stage 2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At just 38 years old, Nancy was given three to six months to live.
Confronting a Difficult Diagnosis
Nancy’s doctor explained that she had six tumors in the lower lobe of her left lung and discussed her treatment options, including surgery and other therapies. “I said, 'I’ll be here tomorrow for you to remove them,’” she replied firmly. Without informing family, friends, or anyone in her support network of her diagnosis, Nancy had surgery the next day and returned to work just two days later. She also began chemotherapy and radiation. When she started losing her hair, she finally explained her diagnosis to her family. “I’m from a very close Puerto Rican family. And I have always been a strong woman who could take on any challenge,” Nancy said. Nancy was adamant that she could manage the surgery and treatment herself and didn't need any help. “So, I feel blessed that I was the one diagnosed with cancer over someone else in my family, because I knew I could handle this.”
At the time Nancy was diagnosed, over 20 years ago, biomarker testing and other advanced treatment options were not available. So, for the next three years, Nancy powered through many rounds of chemotherapy and radiation while still working full-time. She tried to avoid feeling sorry for herself, sticking to ‘what’s next’ instead of a ‘why me?’ mindset. “I think the statistic was 17% that people with lung cancer survived, at the time, and I was determined to be a part of that group,” she said. Eventually, her cancer was in partial remission, and for the next four years, things went back to normal.
Unfortunately, a routine scan showed that the cancer had quietly spread. As a result, Nancy’s care team recommended a more aggressive treatment plan, enrolling Nancy in a clinical trial that included another course of chemo. “It was very challenging because my insurance only covered 80% of my treatment cost. So, on top of everything else, I had to worry about that. My high school friends did a fundraiser for me, but I am still paying off those bills years later.”
Support She Didn’t Know She Needed
During this time, Nancy felt very alone. Most of her family lived far away, except for her daughter who was pregnant, and she did not want to burden them. She was also worried about the stigma that patients with lung cancer often face and so she kept to herself as a way of avoiding judgement.
One day, her hospital was hosting a LUNG FORCE event, so she decided to see what it was all about. While there, Nancy shared her story with one of the women working. She suggested that Nancy should talk to her care team about immunotherapy and other newer treatment possibilities. “She gave me one of the most meaningful hugs I have ever received as a lung cancer patient,” she said. “I knew I wanted to get involved with LUNG FORCE.”
Despite initial misgivings, Nancy agreed to share her story at the first New York City LUNG FORCE Walk that year. Though she has since moved to Ohio, she has continued participating in the event ever since. She has also taken part in Advocacy Day, Fight For Air Climbs, and has shared her story in TV interviews and was even featured in Oprah Magazine. “It is important for me to share my story, especially as a Hispanic woman. A lot of people are not aware that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer,” she said. “If I can help just one person, and give them hope, that makes it worth it.”
Through LUNG FORCE, Nancy also found a community of peers, patients with lung cancer and chronic lung disease, who could understand what she was going through and offer support. “I found a family,” she said. “It has been an amazing experience.”
Looking Toward the Future
For individuals with NSCLC, the year 2018 was widely viewed as a turning point for immunotherapy, moving it from a treatment used primarily after disease progression to a frontline standard of care for many people without targetable mutations. It was at this time when Nancy first talked with her doctor about immunotherapy, and after a few rounds, she went into remission.
This year, Nancy turned 56, and she is very aware of how lucky she is to be here, using her voice to raise awareness about lung cancer. She has seen firsthand how far lung cancer treatment has come, but it still has a way to go. And early detection is key. “I hope more people learn about lung cancer prevention and screening and advocate for themselves with their doctors so they can get the treatment they need,” she said.
She is currently working as a manager at the Ohio State University Hospital in the cancer research building, and she continues to work with LUNG FORCE. “I believe the more you give, the more you get back. So, I try to tell people not to give up and to surround themself with love,” she said. "Sometimes just a hug says more than words, so never miss an opportunity to be human."
Blog last updated: November 3, 2026
