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Carla P.

In 2012 just before my 52nd birthday, I was preparing for bariatric surgery. As part of the pre-op a chest x-ray was required. I have always been a non-smoker and other than being "Super Obese" I felt fine so I thought this was just a formality.

After my chest x-ray I received a call that there was "something" on my chest x-ray that "was probably nothing but needed to be checked." It wasn't nothing. I was diagnosed with stage 2 Bronchoalveolar carcinoma, a non-small cell lung cancer. I've had a upper left lobectomy and chemotherapy.

If it had not been for the encouragement of the great physicians at Doctors Hospital in Dallas, who helped me to make the decision to have bariatric surgery, I would not have known I had cancer until I was symptomatic and it would have probably been too late to save my life.

I am happy to say I am a five-year survivor and my decision to have gastric sleeve surgery saved my life in more ways than one.

First published: February 6, 2018

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Hero stories are the point of view of the Hero and not necessarily the American Lung Association. The Lung Association does not endorse any specific provider, facility or treatment.