Lung Cancer Foundation of America Lung Cancer Hero Stories
The stories of the people on this page are stories of courage, stories of love, stories of heroic struggle.
Celebrate with us the stories of these brave Lung Cancer Heroes. While they are not here to tell their stories themselves, these Heroes inspire us and motivate us to keep fighting this disease every day and in every way.
Please submit your heroes story to LCFA@LCFAmerica.org and let us celebrate them on the LCFA website.
Erik Hidalgo was just 24 years old when lung cancer took his life, six days before his first wedding anniversary. Erik was a non-smoker. Highly motivated to succeed, Erik attended college while working nearly full time, ultimately earnin…
Read MoreI didn’t grow up thinking, “Oh, someday I want to start a lung cancer research foundation!” But life has a funny way of throwing you unexpected curve balls that can change the best-laid plans in a nanosecond. I am Kim Norris and I am t…
Read MoreOn the December 3, 2011 morning that lung cancer took my beautiful sister, Connie Defalco-Blanchette, she had planned to watch a movie that day with her son Jason, who had driven hours to be with her. In her mind, death was not a possibility th…
Read MoreBorn in a rural town outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Lynda began studying music at the age of seven and performed in choirs from age eight. Her professional career began at 21, the summer before she graduated from Brandeis University. …
Read MoreWhen you first hear “Cancer” most people automatically think of breast cancer because we have a whole month dedicated to it and everyone and everything is pink, but what about all the other types of cancer? What about their month and the…
Read MoreLCFA mourns the passing of our co-founder Lori Monroe. Sometimes the impact of a single life is far deeper than a whole lifetime. And sometimes a lifetime is too short. In the case of Lori Monroe, both are true. A tireless and selfless advoc…
Read MoreOn March 5th, 2010, four weeks before my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary, we received devastating news that my mother was in stage four of lung cancer. Our little family was broken. A strong family unit of my parents, my sister, myself…
Read MoreMy husband Todd, had been a smoker since he was about 18 years old. He was the owner of his own Excavating Company and got along well with all his fellow competitors, as they always helped each other out. He enjoyed playing Texas Hold ‘em a…
Read MoreKaryn Sue Lofgren Ericksen Bunnell passed away on Oct. 31, 2014, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. Karyn was born Jan. 19, 1951, in Duluth, MN, the oldest child of William W. Lofgren and Nathalie Jane Quick. She enjoyed an idyllic childhood…
Read MoreLIVING WITH LEMONADE! I had just played one of my best golf games in many years! But the pain in my hip had become so intense, that my golf partner said, “Hey Paulie, you really should have that checked out – I’m starting to feel bad taki…
Read MoreMy name is Jim Lamp & I have served 6 years in the Navy most on a Fast Attack nuclear submarine & 28 years working at a nuclear power plant, most recently as a Shift Forman in California. I was born November 1960, 53 years ago. I …
Read MoreJacqueline’s entire life was preparing her for this chapter in her story, a chapter of learning for her and for her to teach others how to be a phenomenal human being, this chapter started in late November of 2013. After working for nearly fo…
Read MoreNancy's battle with lung cancer ended in December, 2015. Here is her story in her own words: My name is Nancy Huhn. My cancer diagnosis was five years ago, October 16. However, the medical story begins probably 3-4 years prior when I s…
Read MoreTRIBUTE TO ALEXby Andrea Hanan This is the 4th year you are not hereBut we still celebrate your birthdayEvery year.You always wanted someone else to live,That is why your tumor to research -You did give.One day people will survive, and get …
Read MoreLCFA is saddened by the loss of Dave Miller, who passed away on Tuesday, January 11, 2019, at the age of 50. Dave will always be known for his positive attitude and his great sense of humor. We were fortunate that he shared his story of humor a…
Read MoreAt LCFA we are honored to share the stories of lung cancer patients who are not only fighting for their lives, but managing to find the time, strength, and drive to advocate for more and better lung cancer research. Millie Torchia was just su…
Read MoreLCFA is saddened by the loss of Donald Stranathan, who passed away on Saturday, February 1, 2020, after 10+ years as a lung cancer patient and advocate. Don will always be known for his commitment to advocating for lung cancer research and his…
Read MoreLCFA is saddened by the loss of Lisa James who passed away earlier this week in Sept 2020. When she was diagnosed, at age 47, she had just started a fabulous new life with her new husband, Preston. When she was diagnosed with…
Read MoreLCFA is saddened by the loss of Elizabeth Moir, who passed away on Friday, August 27, 2021 at the age of 32. A mother of 2 beautiful girls under the age of 5, a wife, a daughter, a friend, Elizabeth simply did not accept her diagnosis 3 years …
Read MoreLinnea Olson was a force to be reckoned with, a trailblazer in lung cancer advocacy, and a kind, and hilarious soul who exemplified living life to its fullest. Linnea was an unlikely patient - a 45-year-old never- smoker - who used her d…
Read MoreAmie Hyman-McPartlin, passed away on December 6, 2021 after beating the odds of advanced lung cancer for four and a half years with spirit and determination and grace. LCFA is grateful that she shared her story with us. From Coughing Up Bl…
Read MoreCarol Brickell passed peacefully, surrounded by her family on Friday, December 31, 2021. She was a lovely, cheerful lady who was always looking for ways to make a difference. Lung Cancer Foundation of America is so grateful for the time we got…
Read MoreSadly, LCFA Speaker and lung cancer patient/advocate Gina Hollenbeck passed away on June 12, 2022. Gina's guiding principle came from a book she read by Dale Carnegie in which he wrote: "Two men looked out from prison bars, one saw the mu…
Read MoreLCFA is saddened by the news that Francis (Frank) Noll, Jr, on January 22, 2023, after living with lung cancer for 8 years. An avid painter, runner, biker, and kayaker, Frank shared his story of how his lung cancer was diagnosed back in Januar…
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