When her follow-ups were delayed, Samantha took matters into her own hands and had a private CT scan. Thanks to this proactive step, doctors discovered a tumor. A quick series of referrals took her to a hospital in Cork, Ireland, for a biopsy. Complications during this biopsy revealed that the tumor was located dangerously close to a major artery. Eventually, she had surgery during which the top and middle lobes of her right lung were removed, as were surrounding lymph nodes and an afflicted airway.

After this surgery, Samantha was diagnosed with grade 3, stage 2 lung cancer with an EGFR mutation. The diagnosis overwhelmed her — especially since she was a non-smoker. But she faced it squarely. Radiation and chemotherapy weren’t viable options for her, and so she joined a clinical trial focusing on a particular targeted therapy. She was both hopeful and honored to be the first post-operative patient in Ireland to try this treatment, which is typically reserved for stage 4 cases.

Samantha struggles with side effects from the treatment for her stage 2 lung cancer, including mouth ulcers, fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and digestive issues. But she remains grateful, as she knows full well how fortunate she is to be able to access this treatment. Her medical team monitors her regularly and tracks her progress, including by conducting blood tests every few months and scans every six months. 

Samantha admits that mentally, coping with the loss of her old self is tough. To process these emotions, she attends counseling sessions, where she finds solace in speaking openly and honestly about the emotional impact of her experience without burdening her loved ones.

Samantha’s experience has taught her the importance of early detection. She also urges others to trust their instincts and to insist on having thorough medical evaluations, even when it feels uncomfortable to do so. Her message is clear: you need to be your own health advocate.

Check out Samantha’s video to learn about:

• How her intuition led to a life-saving lung cancer diagnosis.
• Samantha’s powerful journey from COVID symptoms to stage 2 lung cancer.
• Why she says mental health is key in her cancer experience.
• The unexpected symptoms and signs that heralded stage 2 lung cancer.
• Samantha’s message: Trust your instincts and advocate for your health.