Patient Stories

At age 28, Thomas Iorio went into the hospital with a possible ear infection, after noticing swollen lymph nodes, and came out with a probable cancer diagnosis.

Hildy Grossman describes her struggle with the stigma linked to a lung cancer diagnosis and her work, through Upstage Lung Cancer and music, to educate the public about lung cancer.

In a surprising twist of fate, getting lung cancer has led Anne Marie Cerato to have everything she had dreamed of: a devoted husband, a house, a car, fur-babies, and remarkable friends whom she met during her cancer journey.

“Cancer never truly goes away. There are follow-ups, scans, and this and that. Once you have cancer, you essentially have cancer the rest of your life, even though you may be in remission,” says Tziporah Newman, breast cancer survivor.

Richard J. Smith tells his experience with kidney cancer, which led him to lose weight, be more active, and live a healthy life.

“This is a long journey. I felt like the mythical Jason and his Greek Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece, having to fight the dragon,” says 2-time breast cancer survivor Dr. Hamilton.

Janet Maker, breast cancer survivor and author of The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Breast Cancer, emphasizes the importance of support. Diagnosed in 2011, Janet shared this news with her family and friends, and told them to spread the word. Her initial goal was that she would have fewer people to tell. What came of it was a surge of overwhelming support from individuals whose lives are touched by cancer, one way or another. Listen to Janet tell her story on CONQUER Cam.