26-year-old Payton G. hails from Dallas, TX. She is a survivor of stage 3 lung cancer (adenocarcinoma with mucinous features).

Payton’s cancer first manifested as chronic sputum or phlegm in her chest, and acid reflux so bad that she would wake up choking on stomach acid. The first doctor she saw put her on antacids and referred her to a sleep specialist. But Payton also began to experience a strange pain in the left side of her chest.

When one night, the pain was excruciating enough to wake Payton up, her husband rushed her to the hospital. A CAT scan revealed an enormous abscess on the lower lobe of her left lung. Antibiotics were prescribed and initially shrank the abscess, but doctors took a closer look when they stopped working. A chance biopsy undertaken by one doctor, acting on a hunch, finally revealed Payton’s cancer.

Payton underwent a successful complete lobectomy to remove the tumor. She underwent 4 rounds of chemotherapy, and experienced some side effects such as excessively dry skin, hemorrhoids and extreme fatigue, but was declared NED after another CAT scan failed to turn up any evidence of disease.

Payton credits her family and faith for healing her and for helping her stay hopeful all throughout. “No matter what comes your way, as long as you have breath in your body, there’s still hope. There’s hope in God, there’s nothing too hard for God.”