#ThisIsHope
LUNGevity Foundation is the nation’s leading lung cancer-focused non profit — that aims to change the outcomes for people with lung cancer through research, education, and support.
This is my first time receiving Travel Grant to the #HOPESummit as a patient. Needless to say, it’s an awesome event with many meaningful impacts!
I’ve met a lot of lung cancer patients, many have similar mutation with me, and their stories are very inspiring!
I’ve met L. for the first time in person. I have been following her journey for the past 6 months. Everytime I saw her post on Facebook, it’s always “Oh, she’s getting better!” and then, “Oh no, she’s not feeling well!”. She has been the hope and the inspiration for many lung cancer patients. The fact that she’s at the conference today is a miracle!
And I’ve met Allen Lee — he has left a responses to encourage me on my Day[0] blog. A.L. is fighting with metastases and building the EGFR Resister — aiming to gather all the EGFR+ lung cancer patients and help to accelerate the research.
I had dinner with Mr. Dann W. and his wife. He was diagnosed with lung cancer the first time more than 12 years ago. He is fighting for last stage lung cancer, working full-time, and still managing the time to publish The Second Wind
My favorite part of this event is that they don’t need big names of doctors, physicians, industries! The patients are the stars of the show. I listened to many stories from other young cancer patients — who has been fighting with lung cancer more than 10 years. The most beautiful things I saw at the event were the love stories, the new-born babies, and the happy smiles — those are real inspiring!
Three days conference is not only for patients, but also for caregivers, because cancer is never the problem of one person. The caregivers are called “co-survivors” — such a meaningful title!
I come back to Los Angeles and get ready for my radiation for the first time. I believe everything happens for reasons, just like my participation in this event! I will recover to come back to Vietnam to organize a similar event for Salt Cancer Initiative.
-Washington DC, April 29th, 2018-
