Jill Feldman: This picture is worth a thousand words!
Jill Feldman recently shared a post on her LinkedIn page:
“This picture is worth a thousand words! While it may be cliche, words truly cannot express the Deep, Fierce Gratitude I feel from all the heartfelt and thoughtful messages and video messages (amazing gift from my kiddos and husband!) marking my 15 years of living with lung cancer. I am truly blessed and fortunate.
Friday wasn’t the 15-year ‘cancer-free’ milestone I imagined when I was first diagnosed. I was devastated when the cancer persisted; however, I learned to embrace a broader definition of Hope, change my mindset, and accept my new reality. While finding a cure is the ultimate goal, I recognize that my story is still one of Hope. Detecting advanced-stage cancer early, though an oxymoron, has allowed for more manageable treatment, occasional treatment holidays, and the opportunity to celebrate many important milestones with my family.
Living with lung cancer and the effects of treatment for 15 years is undeniably challenging. Yet, there have been silver linings, and the unwavering support from friends, family, and the community is a big one and remains a constant source of strength and encouragement through the triumphs and challenges of the past 15 years and the ones that lie ahead. The biggest silver lining is making lifelong friendships and relationships with people I would have never met if it weren’t for lung cancer. Friends who understand a part of me that no one else does. Friends that I can’t imagine not being in my life.
Deep. Fierce. Gratitude. If you have a few minutes, check out our family’s parody of Matisyahu’s ‘One Day.’ It beautifully captures our motto: Everything Begins and Ends with Family.”
Link to the video.
Source: Jill Feldman/LinkedIn
Jill Feldman is a lung cancer patient and advocate. She is the Co-Founder EGFR Resisters, an advocacy group of EGFR positive lung cancer patients who are resistant to targeted treatment. She is the Past President of the LUNGevity Foundation, Deputy Chair of IASLC’s patient advisory board and a member of The Chicago Institute of Translational Medicine’s patient advisory board. Jill is committed to understanding and promoting patient-centered research as a member of the programmatic panel for the Department of Defense Lung Cancer Research Program, as a planning committee member on IASLC’s North America Conference on Lung cancer and as a member of the the ECOG-ACRIN Research Group’s patient advocate committee and thoracic committee.