Guests/Speakers
Stephanie Williams
Patient Advocate | LCFA Speakers Bureau
Stephanie Williams is an ALK-positive lung cancer survivor, former registered nurse, and LCFA Speakers Bureau advocate. Diagnosed at 37, she shares her dual clinical and patient perspective to empower others navigating a new lung cancer diagnosis.
James Hiter
LCFA 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.
Learn more about James:
LCFA Speakers Bureau Profile
Living With Lung Cancer: Ask Me Anything Podcast
When “One More Medication” Doesn’t Feel Like Another Punch
For anyone who has spent a long day in an infusion chair, the words “we have one more medication for you” can feel like one more weight added to an already exhausting day. But for Stephanie Williams, a lung cancer survivor and LCFA Speakers Bureau advocate, those words sounded different when followed by two letters: SubQ.
“It didn’t feel like another punch that I had to withstand when I heard that I was getting something SubQ”
Stephanie’s Story: Minding Her Own Business
Stephanie was 37, a mom getting her kindergartner ready for school, when a persistent but mild cough nudged her to ask for a chest X-ray at a routine appointment in 2021. That single request changed everything. The X-ray revealed a mass in her right lung, ultimately leading to a diagnosis of stage 2 non-small cell lung cancer with an ALK biomarker.
Since then, she has navigated surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy—and she’s using her voice to help others walking a similar road.
What Is SubQ?
Subcutaneous (SubQ) delivery means a medication is injected just under the skin, rather than into a vein through an IV. As a former RN, Stephanie was already familiar with the concept—insulin, allergy shots, and certain blood thinners have long been delivered this way.
What’s new is that medications historically given through IV infusion are now becoming available in SubQ form, including some cancer therapies.
“SubQ is quick. It’s cleaning off the area with an alcohol prep and giving an injection… In the most basic sense, it’s given just under the skin and the recovery is just slapping a Band-Aid on.” — Stephanie Williams
In some cases, the medication is delivered through a small on-body device—”a little pod that stuck right to my belly”—that automatically administers the dose hours after chemotherapy.
Why SubQ Matters for Patients
When asked to describe SubQ in just a few words, Stephanie chose: simple, not new, and hopeful.
Here’s why this delivery method can make a meaningful difference:
- Less disruptive. No searching for a vein, no port access, no blown IVs.
- Faster. Significantly less time spent in a clinical setting (typically 3–8 minutes vs. 30 minutes to several hours).
- Lower infection risk. Less time in waiting rooms and infusion suites means fewer exposures.
- Less anxiety. No anticipation of difficult venous access.
- More time back. Time that can be spent with family, exploring resources, or simply being present.
“Anytime you can cut from sitting in a clinical setting is a good thing. It’s opening you up to fewer hospital-acquired infections or just crowds and waiting rooms.” — Stephanie Williams
Is SubQ as Effective as IV?
A common patient concern: if it’s simpler, is it as effective?
“When a medication is offered in two different forms, both forms have been completely vetted and tried out and made sure that they’re going to give you the benefit of the drug.”— Stephanie Williams
The science on the back end has been carefully evaluated before a SubQ option becomes available.
How to Talk to Your Doctor About SubQ
If you’re curious whether a SubQ option might be available for your treatment, Stephanie’s advice is to simply ask:
“Hey, I see that you want me to take X, Y, Z. Does that have to be IV? Does that have to be oral?”
That single question may prompt your care team to look into options you didn’t know existed—whether SubQ, oral, or another less disruptive route.
A Message for the Newly Diagnosed
For anyone facing a new lung cancer diagnosis, Stephanie offers a clear roadmap:
- Don’t panic (even though you probably will at first).
- Get comprehensive biomarker testing. Knowing your tumor’s genetic profile can open the door to targeted therapies and easier delivery methods.
- Seek a second opinion from a doctor highly experienced in your specific type of lung cancer.
- Connect with a patient support group—biomarker-specific or general lung cancer focused. Talking to someone who’s walked this road makes all the difference.
The Bigger Picture: Hope Through Innovation
The arrival of SubQ options for lung cancer treatment is more than a convenience—it’s a signal.
For a community that has watched lung cancer treatment evolve from IV-only chemotherapy to oral targeted therapies and now subcutaneous delivery, this is one more reason to feel hopeful.
