Healthcare Degree

Monday, May 13, 2013

Hope Summit (1 of 3): Thank you LUNGevity Foundation!

There is so much to say about 2013 Hope Summit. I suppose first and foremost there should be a brief about its history. So for those who are not familiar with Hope Summit. Hope Summit is an annual gathering of lung cancer survivors (including caregivers - this year) for lung cancer survivors by LUNGevity Foundation. I attended the first ever Hope Summit only a few years ago after being newly recovered from invasive thoracic surgery for removal of two-thirds of my right lung due to lung cancer.

Katie Brown (Director of Support & Advocacy) & I at 1st Annual Hope Summit
 
Hope Summit is held once a year during the first weekend of May, however it is planning on an expansion in the near future. I will keep everyone updated on that. Hope Summit has changed my life because it has forever connected me with other lung cancer survivors just like myself. When I was first diagnosed with lung cancer, at the age of 24, I was overwhelmed with the "how did this happen to me?" and "was this my fault?" questions that I now know that many lung cancer survivors face. LUNGevity Foundation and Hope Summit have given me a sense of a "new normal". Although I know many people may not understand this, but I do feel that I have gained some sort of "closure" from my diagnosis of lung cancer. My cancer diagnosis does not haunt me, it doesn't depress me, and it doesn't consume my existence (at least not negatively- ha!). If you could ever feel a sense of peace after being told something truly horrible and then overcoming it, that's my closure - LUNGevity gave me that..

Me and Anna from LUNGevity
 
I am 100% dedicated to LUNGevity Foundation and all that they do. I would like to dedicate this blog post to the LUNGevity Foundation staff.. This for all of those LUNGevity Foundation staff who I've met thus far and those I have yet to meet. Everyone at LUNGevity has a personal story with lung cancer and I respect that about this organization. They may never know how much they have truly helped me as a young person diagnosed with cancer, but I will surely do my best to give back to my community because of it.

I feel so lucky everyday that I am alive. I am not a religious and spiritual person, but I do feel blessed for being diagnosed EARLY. I feel that I have been given a second chance, possibly even one of many to completely start over and look at life differently. I will never take my lung cancer diagnosis lightly by any means, and I do take this opportunity to spread awareness for a disease that does not have many advocates. I hope that one day lung cancer will be as widely acknowledged as breast cancer, and for that matter I hope that ALL CANCERS for as widely acknowledged as breast cancer one day!


Please check out this video created by Katie from LUNGevity Foundation!!

3 comments:

  1. I watched this video.It is really informative.Thank you for this information.It is really informative and helpful for the people.Keep giving such a valuable information.
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  2. Thanks, Heather, for the inspiration you provide all of us.

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  3. GOD has certainly lead me here this hour because before sharing this I prayed he lead me to site where my testimony will become blessing to people lives. I found out 4years ago that I was infected with HIV because I was engaged to a man that i knew I should have never had in my life. Like most of us here the HOLY SPIRIT was warning me but I decided to do what I wanted . He never came out to tell me he had it I just happened to go through some old stuff he left at my house and there some antiviral meds appeared . I got checked and was diagnosed. It instantly felt like agony!!! The enemy tempt me with suicide,depression and all kinds of unhealthy emotion. I was looking for love in all the wrong places and people. The enemy kept speaking to me that my life was over.. But one day I quickly with tears in my eyes prayed to GOD for healing. And GOD showed me a vision that my cure is in nature I woke up prayed over it, gradually I started having passion for herbs then gradually I started using for treatment. One evening I think early February this year after my evening prayer I was on a site on herbal remedies for STD and a page was telling possible cure for herpes, then on peoples comments I saw testimonies of people telling how same DR yakubu have successfully cured them of herpes and he cured all manner of STD including HIV. I copied his contact.. .... That same night in my dream I was in the doctor office and the doctor telling me there’s been a mistake THAT I’M FREE FROM ANY DISEASE in my body. I woke up the next morning and prayed over it then contacted DR YAKUBU who immediately responded to me he talked to me and assured me of permanent cure if I finish taking certain quantity of his meds of which I ordered for immediately and started use. Within few weeks of use I noticed total relieved in my body system then went for a test and was confirmed negative and another test and the result was same. Glory be to GOD who cured me as he promised. God is real and he still saves humans through fellow humans. Reach DR YAKUBU through his e-mail;dryakubuherbalhealingclinic@gmail.com

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