Dialogue: Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is surrounded by many misconceptions. We invited two lung cancer survivors to discuss the stigmas surrounding a lung cancer diagnosis and shed some light on life as lung cancer survivors.

A discussion between Ivy Elkins and Jill Feldman, co-founders of the EGFR Resisters.

Ivy Elkins was diagnosed at age 47 with EGFR-positive stage IV lung cancer that had metastasized to her bones and brain. She have been treated successfully with targeted therapy medications since her diagnosis. As one of the founding members of the EGFR Resisters Patient Group, she recognizes that new treatments are desperately needed for patients who have developed resistance to currently approved targeted therapy medications. Elkins frequently shares her patient perspective with the media and pharmaceutical companies involved in lung cancer treatments.

In 2009, Jill Feldman was diagnosed with lung cancer. She has non-small cell lung cancer EGFR+ del exon 19. She was originally stage I but re-diagnosed to stage IVa in 2013. Feldman is honored to be a co-founder of the EGFR Resisters. EGFR+ lung cancer is complex and complicated. She uses her experience and voice to help grow the community and create change to accelerate research that can and will prolong and better the lives of people diagnosed with EGFR+ lung cancer.