For a brief, terrifying moment, Ashley thought she might have metastatic sarcoma. The emotional whiplash was overwhelming. Relief came when the chest wall mass did turn out benign, but the lung nodule biopsy confirmed stage 1 ROS1 non-small cell lung cancer. She was blindsided. As a nonsmoker with a healthy lifestyle, lung cancer wasn’t even on her radar. The shock was compounded by the fear of what this meant for her young children.

Ashley’s story underscores the importance of self-advocacy in healthcare. Unsatisfied with initial recommendations, she sought second opinions, pushing for genetic testing, which is not standard for early-stage lung cancer patients. This persistence paid off when she discovered she had a ROS1 gene mutation, information critical for her future health monitoring. She also connected with a ROS1 specialist, arming herself with knowledge for proactive care.

Ashley underwent a lobectomy to remove the cancerous part of her lung. Recovery wasn’t easy. She candidly shares the physical pain, the mental toll, and the challenges of balancing healing with motherhood and work. The surgery left her with 30% less lung capacity, which surprisingly didn’t limit her daily activities as much as she feared.

The hardest part of her stage 1 ROS+ non-small cell lung cancer experience? Not the physical recovery, but the effects on her mental health. Ashley grappled with medical PTSD, anxiety, and survivor’s guilt, especially when she became immersed in the lung cancer community and saw others with more advanced stages. She wrestled with her emotions, thinking, “Why me?” as a healthy nonsmoker, and “Why did I get lucky to catch it early when others didn’t?”

Ashley wants others to understand that there’s no need to find a silver lining in cancer. It’s okay to feel sad, fearful, and resentful. She emphasizes the value of simply having people listen without trying to “fix” their emotions.

Watch Ashley’s video and take a deep dive into her stage 1 ROS+ non-small cell lung cancer story:

• “I never thought I’d get lung cancer at 38 — especially as a nonsmoker.”
• How a benign lump led to Ashley’s life-saving lung cancer diagnosis.
• “The hardest part wasn’t the surgery; it was the mental toll afterward.”
• Survivor’s guilt: why catching cancer early isn’t always a relief.
• The key piece of advice Ashley offers to anyone facing a tough diagnosis.