A Persistent Cough, a Hidden Mutation: Stephanie’s ALK-Positive Lung Cancer Journey as a Young Mom
Each November, Lung Cancer Awareness Month encourages patients, caregivers, and families to learn the signs, understand testing, and amplify the stories of those affected. Stephanie Williams’s story is one of those stories—proof that lung cancer can happen even without traditional risk factors, and that early attention to symptoms can change a life.
A Persistent Cough in an Ordinary Spring
Stephanie was a mom in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, enjoying the first hints of post-pandemic normalcy. Her daughter, about to start kindergarten, was blossoming into her own personality, and life felt lighter than it had in years.
During that time, Stephanie noticed a mild, intermittent cough. She sounded a little wheezy, but she chalked it up to allergies, humidity, or pollen. Nothing alarming. No disruption to daily life.
For many patients, these small symptoms are easy to dismiss. Lung cancer often hides behind ordinary complaints—especially in people who do not fit the “typical” profile.
The X-Ray That Changed Everything
At her routine annual appointment, Stephanie mentioned the cough to her doctor. They discussed reflux, allergies, and asthma—but Stephanie asked for a chest X-ray “just to be safe,” especially with COVID still circulating.
That request altered the trajectory of her life.
The X-ray detected a mass.
The next day, a CT scan was ordered stat. Stephanie was told to stay until the results were read. Sitting alone in the waiting room, she began to feel the weight of what might be coming.
Her doctor called before anyone met her in person. The mass was large and “spiculated,” with irregular, jagged edges—features that often raise concern.
Then she heard the words: “highly suspicious for neoplasm.”
It was the first time she understood that cancer was a real possibility.
The Diagnosis Becomes Real
A bronchoscopy biopsy followed. Stephanie monitored her online patient portal constantly, hoping for a benign explanation. Tests came back one by one—negative for bacteria, negative for fungus. She held onto the possibility of an unusual pneumonia.
But then the surgeon called.
“It’s positive. It’s cancer.”
She asked the question so many patients ask: “What kind?”
“Adenocarcinoma.”
The next steps came quickly—PET scan, brain MRI, pulmonary function testing, echocardiogram, and a tumor board review to determine treatment. Stephanie moved from ordinary life into the structured, dizzying world of cancer care nearly overnight.
Major Surgery and a Difficult Recovery
Her surgeon recommended a lobectomy to remove a lobe of her lung. Because the tumor was nearly five centimeters and positioned between two lobes, he warned that an open thoracotomy—not a minimally invasive approach—would likely be necessary.
On the morning of surgery, Stephanie’s mother accompanied her. An epidural was placed; she was positioned on her side. When she woke in the ICU, her shoulder throbbed with pain from the long surgical positioning.
Then she learned they had removed not one but two lobes. The tumor’s location required taking both to ensure no cancer was left behind.
Her hospital stay was grueling. A chest tube. A catheter. An epidural. Monitors everywhere. Pain, fatigue, and discomfort layered on top of each other. She described feeling like a “one-man band” connected to devices on every side.
But then came the pathology report:
Clean margins
No lymph node involvement across a dozen nodes
No vascular or pleural invasion
This meant her cancer was staged at 2B.
Good news—and yet, as often happens during treatment—Stephanie was so consumed by the immediate physical discomforts that she struggled to absorb it fully.
“You’re ALK Positive.” A Turning Point
One month later, Stephanie met her oncologist for the first time. He walked in, sat down, and said:
“You’re ALK positive.”
ALK-positive lung cancer is caused by a genetic rearrangement present only in the tumor cells. It has nothing to do with smoking history, age, or lifestyle. In fact, ALK-positive disease is more common in younger individuals and people with no smoking history.
This biomarker matters because it opens the door to targeted therapy—a powerful tool that has transformed treatment options for many lung cancer patients.
In recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Stephanie urges everyone facing lung cancer to ask about biomarker testing. It can profoundly change treatment direction.
Chemotherapy: The Reality Stephanie Didn’t Expect
Although her surgery was successful, chemotherapy was recommended to lower the risk of recurrence.
Stephanie imagined a “lighter” version of chemo—something easier because the tumor had been removed. But the truth was four full rounds of a strong regimen delivered through a port.
Her first infusion triggered a reaction to an anti-nausea medication. Her throat felt like it was closing. Nurses acted fast, but the shock lingered.
The days after treatment were brutal—fatigue so heavy she felt hollowed out, ringing in her ears, foggy thinking, visual distortions, and a sense of being waterlogged from the many medications and fluids.
During chemo, she suddenly understood why some patients choose to stop treatment. She continued because she had a daughter who needed her, but she never again judged anyone who made a different choice.
The Power of a Second Opinion and the Start of Targeted Therapy
Between surgery and chemo, Stephanie sought a second opinion from a lung cancer specialist knowledgeable about ALK-positive disease.
That doctor changed her course.
He explained that while targeted therapies (TKIs) were traditionally used in stage 4 patients, emerging data suggested they might help prevent recurrence in earlier stages too. He recommended a newer-generation ALK inhibitor rather than older clinical trial options.
Stephanie returned to her local oncologist, who listened, agreed, and helped secure the medication.
About a month after finishing chemotherapy, she began daily targeted therapy. She still takes it today.
Living Between “Okay for Now” and “I Hope Forever”
It has been roughly three years since Stephanie’s diagnosis. Her scans remain clear. Her bloodwork is consistently good. There is no evidence of disease.
But she hesitates to say she is cured.
She continues taking her targeted therapy, even as the original three-year plan stretches longer. Her oncologist told her that as long as she tolerates it well, staying on it may be beneficial.
For Stephanie, it is a simple decision.
She has a daughter who needs her.
She will do what she must to stay.
This is a feeling familiar to many parents navigating cancer: the fierce determination not to leave your child before you have to.
Her Advice During Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Stephanie hopes her story encourages action and advocacy:
1. Know Your Biomarker
If you or a loved one has lung cancer, insist on comprehensive biomarker testing. It is not optional. It is essential.
2. Get a Second Opinion—From an Expert in Your Mutation
ALK, EGFR, ROS1, KRAS, and other biomarkers each have specialists around the country. Their guidance can profoundly shape treatment.
3. Join a Support Group
Mutation-specific groups such as ALK Positive, EGFR Resisters, KRAS Kickers, and others can help you:
Understand treatment options
Identify expert physicians
Feel supported by people who truly understand your journey
4. Do Not Ignore Small Symptoms
Stephanie’s story began with a cough that “didn’t seem like anything.” Lung cancer does not always announce itself loudly.
During Lung Cancer Awareness Month, this message is especially important: everyone deserves timely evaluation and access to the right tests.
For Caregivers: What Stephanie Wants You to Know
Your presence matters more than perfect words.
Advocate when the patient is exhausted.
Learn their biomarker alongside them.
Help research second opinions.
Understand that even “good news” can be hard to internalize when someone is physically suffering.
Caregivers do not just support the patient—they stabilize the entire household.
Holding Onto Her ‘Why’
For Stephanie, the image that keeps her grounded is her daughter’s face. The school drop-offs. The bedtime routines. The milestones still ahead.
She continues treatment because she wants to watch her child grow up.
She tells her story because someone else might need the nudge to ask for testing.
And she speaks up especially in November—because raising awareness means saving lives
About the Patient Story
The Patient Story shares authentic patient experiences with compassion and scientific rigor. Starting with cancer and expanding to other conditions, the platform combines patient narratives with medically vetted information on symptoms, clinical trials, insurance, and support—presented in a human-centered way.
For more information on how HuMOLYTE can support your gut health during chemotherapy, visit our product page or consult your health care provider.
This blog was reviewed by Dr. Sourabh Kharait.
This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment plan, hydration strategies, or diet. The information provided here is based on general insights and may not apply to individual circumstances.
