Christine was diagnosed with Stage 4 ROS1+ lung cancer metastatic to the brain in 2015. For the first three years, she struggled with cancer-related symptoms, treatment side effects and depression. Three years later, her symptoms were under control, and Christine decided to live even for a short time. For the past three years, she started to advocate for (lung) cancer. She tried everything she could get her hands on locally, nationally and internationally. Examples include organizing local lung cancer support groups, advocacy to politicians about cancer-related issues, fundraising, being a Patient Research Advocate, grant reviewers for multiple cancer organizations, including ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation and Lung Cancer Canada, etc.
With a Ph.D. degree in Engineering, Christine spent 20 years of her career as a professor until she took sick leave. Christine found that the advocacy and academics were so different, yet at the same time, they are so similar. Having cancer is like the second chance to live again, and Christine decided to devote herself to the cause of changing lung cancer into a chronic disease.
Connect with Christine, our Lung Cancer Empowerment Lead Christine.Qiong.Wu@outlook.com