Guests/Speakers
Jaymie Knox
Voices of Hope Speakers Bureau Member | ALK+ Survivor & Advocate
Jaymie was diagnosed with stage 4 ALK-positive lung cancer in December 2018 at age 32, newly married and ready to start the next chapter of her life. Her first doctor failed to stage her cancer or explain what lay ahead. She fought for better care and never looked back. Now living in Washington, D.C. area, Jaymie recently fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a foster mom to two young children. She is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness in the lung cancer community and lives by a simple philosophy: “Have your moment, then turn the page.”
James Hiter
Endurance Athlete | Voices of Hope Speakers Bureau Member | Survivor
James brings curiosity, determination, and hard-won wisdom to conversations about living with lung cancer. Diagnosed in 2017 with a rare multicystic presentation, he’s undergone three lung surgeries and now operates on roughly 55% of his original lung capacity—yet he still runs every single day. His journey through multidisciplinary tumor boards, second opinions, and ongoing surveillance gives him an intimate understanding of what patients and caregivers face. James asks the questions patients actually want answered because he’s wondered them himself.
Every scan brings a wave of “what ifs.” For people living with lung cancer, this experience has a name: scanxiety. In this candid discussion, host James Hiter sits down with longtime friend and ALK-positive lung cancer patient Jaymie Knox to talk about the very real mental gymnastics of living between scans.
What Is Scanxiety in Lung Cancer?
Scanxiety is the very real anxiety patients feel before, during, and after imaging scans. For people living with lung cancer, those scans are a regular part of life, and so is the worry that comes with them. James and Jaymie open up about how scanxiety shows up differently for each person, and how it can change over months and years of treatment.
Jaymie shares that after nearly seven years on targeted therapy, she gives herself permission to feel the worry, but only for a day or two. The rest of the time, she refuses to let cancer take up more space in her head than it deserves.
Understanding Drug Resistance in Targeted Therapy
Diagnosed in December 2018, Jaymie has been on alectinib, a targeted therapy for ALK-positive lung cancer, for nearly seven years. That’s well past the average time most patients respond to the medication. While she counts every clean scan as a blessing, she’s honest about the fear that comes with knowing targeted therapies can eventually lose effectiveness, a process called drug resistance.
The good news? Drug resistance doesn’t mean the end of the road. New ALK inhibitors and treatment options continue to emerge, giving patients more pathways forward than ever before.
Why Patient-First Language Matters
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation comes when James and Jaymie unpack the language doctors and patients use around treatment. There’s a big difference between saying “I failed the medication” and “the medication failed me.”
“It’s not that I failed the medication. I didn’t fail the medication. I’m doing what I’m supposed to do every day, and I’m not in control of how my cancer reacts to the medication. The medication failed me.”
— Jaymie Knox
That small shift in words puts the responsibility where it belongs, on the science, not the patient. It’s a reminder that patients are doing everything right by showing up, taking their medication, and staying engaged with their care.
The Power of Having a Plan B
Knowing what comes next can be the anchor that keeps patients steady when the waters get rough. Jaymie and James talk about why asking your care team about Plan B, what happens if this medication stops working, takes weight off the constant “what if.”
A clear next step doesn’t take away every fear, but it replaces uncertainty with direction. It’s one of the most practical tools patients have for managing scanxiety long-term.
Practical Coping Strategies for Scan Day
Jaymie shares her honest, sometimes funny coping strategies for getting through scans:
- Thinking about tacos during loud MRI sessions
- Blasting favorite music on the drive to the imaging center
- Limiting “worry time” to a day or two before the scan
- Remembering that lighting up on a scan doesn’t always mean progression
- Leaning on a strong care team and trusted friends in the lung cancer community
Hope Grounded in Real Science
Jaymie’s message is one of hope grounded in reality: science keeps moving forward, treatment options keep growing, and patients have more reasons than ever to keep going. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, a long-term survivor, or a caregiver supporting someone you love, this conversation offers practical wisdom and genuine encouragement for facing the next scan.
“I let myself have a day or two of, like, oh man, what if it doesn’t go well? But I just don’t give cancer that much headspace anymore. There’s always going to be a Plan B, and knowing that is what gets me through.” — Jaymie Knox
Key Takeaways
- Drug resistance is a normal part of targeted therapy, and new treatment options continue to emerge.
- Use patient-first language: medications fail patients, patients don’t fail medications.
- Ask your care team about Plan B, knowing the next step takes weight off the “what if.”
- Scanxiety is real, but it doesn’t have to take over your life.
- Lighting up on a scan doesn’t always mean progression; many things can show up on imaging.
