Guests/Speakers
Annabelle Gurwitch – Host, Author, and Patient Advocate
Annabelle brings compassion and candor to conversations about lung cancer, creating space for honest discussions about challenges patients face—from medical debt to emotional strain.
Visit her website: annabellegurwitch.com | Follow her on Facebook
Lysa Buonanno – Patient advocate, 14-year ROS1 lung cancer survivor, mentor to newly diagnosed patients
Lysa was diagnosed with stage 4 ROS1-positive lung cancer in 2011 at age 40, long before biomarker testing was standard of care. After learning about precision medicine through an online patient group, she fought for better care, switched oncologists, and underwent surgery solely to access biomarker testing. Now 14 and a half years into her journey and on her fifth line of treatment via a Phase 1 clinical trial, Lysa is a passionate mentor to newly diagnosed patients, an advocate for lung cancer research funding, and a brand-new grandmother. She lives by the belief that knowledge — and community — are power.
A Decade-Plus of Living Long-Term with Lung Cancer
What does living long-term with lung cancer really look like? Not just for months — but for over a decade?
Host Annabelle Gurwitch sits down with patient advocate, mentor, and new grandmother Lysa Buonanno. Lysa has been living with stage 4 ROS1-positive lung cancer for 14 and a half years.
Diagnosed at 40 — Before Biomarker Testing Was Standard
Lysa was diagnosed at age 40 with no known risk factors. Her journey began long before biomarker testing became standard of care.
She endured toxic chemotherapy and radiation. Then a patient support group — not her oncologist — introduced her to biomarker testing. That knowledge changed everything.
Lysa switched doctors. She underwent surgery solely to obtain tissue for next-generation sequencing. The result? A ROS1-positive diagnosis. That opened the door to her first targeted therapy and five years of stability.
On Her Fifth Line of Treatment — and Still Going
Today, Lysa is on her fifth line of treatment. She’s currently participating in a Phase 1 clinical trial.
In this candid conversation, she and Annabelle pull back the curtain on what clinical trial participation actually looks like. The cross-country flights. The reimbursement delays. The meal allowances that don’t quite cover an airport lunch. And the critical importance of self-advocacy.
Key Topics in This Episode
- The Power of Connection – Why finding a community that “walks in your shoes” provides support that even the most loving family can’t match.
- Radical Self-Advocacy – How Lysa bypassed standard care to discover biomarker testing — and underwent surgery specifically to secure tissue for sequencing.
- The Clinical Trial Reality Check – A candid look at the logistical burden of trials. From self-enrolling to delayed travel reimbursements and rigid meal allowances.
- Changing the Lexicon – Why we must stop saying “the patient failed the drug.” And start saying “the drug failed the patient” — to remove guilt and empower shared decision-making.
- Living for the Silver Linings – Navigating identity and career changes over 14 years. Culminating in the milestone Lysa once thought impossible: becoming a grandmother.
Silver Linings, Mentorship, and Hope
Lysa reflects on the silver linings of living long-term with lung cancer. Becoming a grandmother — something she never thought she’d live to see. The deep friendships forged through advocacy. She feels a responsibility to mentor newly diagnosed patients.
Annabelle and Lysa’s friendship first sparked at an LCFA fundraising event. It exemplifies the unique support only fellow patients can provide.
Who Should Listen
This episode is a must-listen for:
- Anyone newly diagnosed with lung cancer
- Anyone considering a clinical trial
- Anyone who needs a reminder that you are not alone on this journey
Living long-term with lung cancer is possible — and this episode shows you what it really looks like.
