Denise’s Story

Denise’s Story

Denise credits the American Lung Association’s Saved By The Scan billboard for saving her life. She is now a LUNG FORCE Hero and lung cancer survivor.

For 3-6 months, I would pass a billboard on the highway as I drove home from work. It was for early detection, lung cancer. The American Lung Association “Saved by the Scan” billboard.

I’d quit smoking a year prior and didn’t know there was such a test. I went to my PCP, we went over the protocol but she didn’t order it because I didn’t meet the criteria. A few months later, I went back, asked again and she ordered it.

I took the CT Scan and next day, received a call from a pulmonologist requesting that I come in immediately. I was very scared. I subsequently had a PET scan, brain MRI and a biopsy. It was malignant but caught early, stage 1b.

I had surgery, removal of left upper lobe and follow up chemo, 4 cycles, 21 days apart. My adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended because I had some high recurrence risk factors.

I knew that since lung cancer was fairly asymptomatic, many people werent diagnosed until late stage, when treatment options were limited. I was a 40-year smoker and knew I was at high risk. I also knew the earlier it is caught, the better.

That billboard on the side of the road saved my life.

A Bit About the Coalition

Cape Atlantic Coalition for Health is a regional chronic disease prevention coalition funded by the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Cancer Control and Prevention. Our purpose is to reduce the state's cancer burden and improve health outcomes for people with, or at risk for, cancer and other chronic diseases in Atlantic and Cape may counties. For more information on comprehensive cancer control, visit www.njcancer.gov. Shore Medical Center is the lead agency for Atlantic and Cape May counties. The CACH is working on a variety of projects to improve our community's health. You can help by becoming involved by being a member or volunteer. Anyone interested should call 609-653-3923.