My mother Eartha "Mae", went to the hospital for what we thought was pneumonia, but after return visits to the emergency room and many more tests, it was confirmed lung cancer. My mother called me at work and she knew how I take things to heart and the news of my beloved with this dreaded disease would send me over. I know she was stunned and scared but she dealt with the inevitable with dignity and relayed the news as calm as anyone could possibly achieve, considering the situation. I too face cancer as a 5 year cancer survivor of multiple myeloma; I know very well how dire those words you have cancer sound and feel. Despite my battle I will always hold this particular disease to heart- first it took someone very important in my life, and the fact that lung wellness is not properly embraced is a huge concern, due to the stigmas attached. Based on my mother's experience I wasn't fond of the doctors explanation of lung cancer and the two types. I feel those who are put in place for the ill, were not fully there, but that's the exception of so many others (nurses, specialist) that did have my mom's wellbeing at heart. I lost someone from this disease and now spend my life pushing tirelessly in making a stir in the words lung cancer awareness and wellness. I started a foundation called Mae's Breath Foundation in memory of my beloved, and have made some ripples in pushing the importance of this disease, as this is not only a smoker's disease as the stigma has suggested. I hope that the development of this disease is one day provided the seriousness as a breast cancer- for to breathe is a necessity - To breathe should not be discriminatory....
