My Mother’s Story – A Lung Cancer Diagnosis

“When my mother started snoring loudly at night, we laughed it off. We joked that my father would need to invest in good earplugs. Never once did we think it could be anything serious.

My mother never smoked a day in her life, and aside from an occasional cough, there wasn’t anything that seemed alarming. During a routine doctor’s visit for what we thought might be bronchitis, a chest scan revealed the truth: she had lung cancer, and it had already advanced to Stage 4.

At first, she didn’t want to tell me anything. She said it was pneumonia, then maybe bronchitis, trying to protect me from worry. But soon it became impossible to hide. As her health declined, she began having seizures and lost much of her mobility.

Our lives turned upside down as I watched her lose her hair, struggle with her vision, and follow a strict sugar-free vegetarian diet in hopes of fighting the disease in her own way. She was relentless in her courage, always trying to shield me from her pain even as the treatments took their toll.

During the long nights after chemotherapy, when her strength gave way to exhaustion, she would finally let the walls down. Those were the moments she trusted me with the thoughts she couldn’t share with anyone else. We were both scared. What might happen next? How much more would she have to endure? But we did our best to get through each day together.

Lung cancer is often called a ‘silent disease’ for a reason. About 10-20% of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers, and when caught late, metastasis to the brain, like what my mother faced, is heartbreakingly common.

My mother was my best friend. She was brave, caring, and selfless until her final day. She passed away on September 9, 2014, but her strength and courage continue to guide me every single day.

If you or someone you love notices subtle changes, a lingering cough, unexplained fatigue, or even something as ordinary as new snoring, it’s worth checking. Don’t dismiss symptoms because they ‘don’t fit the picture.’ Schedule your annual screenings. It could save your life.”

This story is shared by Barasch & McGarry Client Relations Supervisor, Ryah, in honor of Lung Cancer Awareness Month.