Hi, I’m JoAnn from Canada. In February 2020, I discovered I had stage 3 lung cancer. I come from a family with a history of cancer, including brain, kidney, melanoma, ovarian, and prostate cancers. I underwent chemo-, radiation and immunotherapy and have since completed treatment.

I thought that I had pneumonia, but after getting myself checked out, I found out I had stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), specifically large cell carcinoma.

When I first heard the news, I was fearful and sad. I was surprised at the diagnosis and I felt bad for my family. I’ve lost my dad, brother and sisters to various cancers.

I opted for the following treatment options, as per my doctor’s recommendations:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy

I underwent 4 months of chemo- and radiation therapy, 5 days on and 2 days off. I also had one year of immunotherapy every two weeks.

I felt fearful after finalizing this treatment plan because of the chance of reocurrence. I covered the treatment costs myself.

I was most affected by nausea and vomiting, appetite loss and hair loss over the course of my cancer journey. The nausea and vomiting that I experienced due to chemotherapy left me with no energy in my daily life. To cope with these side effects, I was prescribed anti-nausea medication.

There’ve been no changes in my lifestyle, but I have my will made.

I faced difficulty in my professional life as I stopped working after I started treatment.

Since my diagnosis, I’ve experienced some challenges in my day-to-day and professional life. Losing my hair really took a toll on my self-esteem and self-image , but I managed by wearing wigs.

My biggest fear? Honestly, I’ve never thought about it. Deep down, I’ve never felt like a survivor - I’ve never felt like I’m truly in remission. I just take it day by day.

It’s been years since my diagnosis, but now I am fearful that my cancer will come back.

To others with cancer, my advice is: “Fight hard. Even though sometimes you wanted to give up, never give up! Follow the doctor's instructions and do what you're told.” I wish I had known more about the side effects that come after treatment. That’s something I think everyone should be aware of when it comes to life after cancer.