Hi! My name is Dian and I am a lung cancer survivor thanks to a low-dose CT scan. I was given a postcard advertisement forit and just shoved it in my pocketbook. I kept pulling it out and shoving it back in, never throwing it out though. I had no symptoms, no breathing issues, no reason to suspect I could have cancer.
After about six months of this postcard plaguing me I decided to call the number on the card. Again no symptoms but I had been a smoker. I had quit almost a year before this. I just wanted to get it done to put my mind at ease that I was ok. Well turns out I wasn't ok. They had found something on my right lung. I had a PET scan, and then surgery, which ended up taking the upper 1/3 of my right lung. The pathology report came back positive for Stage 1 lung cancer.
I was actually very lucky though. Thanks to this scan, it was caught early enough that all I needed was surgery, no chemo or radiation. I am now eight years cancer free, with yearly CT scans through the program to watch to see that I stay cancer free.
I am so deeply grateful to that program without which I most likely would not be here today for my family. I was unaware that lung cancer doesn't generally have symptoms in the early stages so of course it wasn't a thought for me. Whether is was luck, divine intervention, my dad's spirit hitting me on the head or that annoying little postcard that made me turn to the program I don't know but whatever it was I am eternally grateful. I am only here today because of this program and the wonderful doctors that are still there for me even now, eight years later. I have been here for quite a few family milestones and hope to be for many more that I would have missed if I didn't make that call. I am a very big advocate in support of anyone who might meet the criteria to take advantage of this program. Its one quick, painless test that can either put your mind at ease or potentially save your life.
