03/10/2026
My journey began in 2010, when I was 33 years old. Toward the end of October, I developed a cough that simply would not go away. By December, the cough had worsened, and the medications I had been prescribed were not helping. My body felt exhausted, and deep down I knew something was not right.
One day while I was at church, I had a severe coughing episode. As I struggled to catch my breath, I suddenly coughed up a blood clot. In that moment, fear completely took over my body. I knew something was terribly wrong. I remember thinking, I am dying. And then another thought hit me just as hard: I have three children. I cannot die and leave my babies.
I went back to my doctor and insisted on having a CT scan with contrast. The scan revealed a tumor growing in my left bronchial tube, cutting off my airway. I was immediately referred to the University of Maryland in Baltimore, where I met with an oncologist who told me I needed emergency surgery to remove the mass.
I was given three weeks to prepare. During that time, I had to report to my doctor every single day to do breathing exercises. I was warned that if the tumor moved even an inch downward, they would have no choice but to remove my entire left lung.
The surgery was expected to last five hours, but it ended up taking nine. When I woke up in recovery, I had two drainage tubes on my left side and an epidural in my back.
The next morning, my doctor came in and told me the words that changed my life forever: I had Stage 1 lung cancer.
But by the grace of God, the prayers of others, and my faith that carried me through my darkest moments, I am still here today.
Today, I stand before you as a 15-year lung cancer survivor. My journey is a testimony of faith, strength, and the power of never giving up.
