North Carolina woman makes first stop in Wilmington on 12,000 mile journey to raise lung cancer awareness
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A woman from High Point began a more than 12,000-mile journey to raise awareness about the deadliest form of cancer, making her first stop in Wilmington.
Dusty Donaldson met several survivors of lung cancer at Henry’s Restaurant in Wilmington on Thursday night.
A survivor of lung cancer herself, she recently celebrated 20 years of being cancer-free and is the founder and executive director of LiveLung.
This non-profit organization works to educate and raise awareness about the disease.
According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer is responsible for about 20% of all cancer-related deaths, making it the deadliest cancer in the US.
To raise awareness, Donaldson will drive across the US in what she calls her Skan-van, making 50 stops in 45 days along the way to meet other survivors.
She said the journey will also let people know about the advances that have been made since her diagnosis in screening for lung cancer.
“There was no such thing as lung cancer screening, there was not biomarker testing, the radiation was really damaging, a lot more damaging than it is today” Donaldson said. “And the surgery was a bit archaic if I may. And we’ve come so far now. We’ve got early detection, we’ve got screening, we’ve got targeted therapy, bio-marker testing.”
During her first stop, Donaldson met with 7 other lung cancer survivors from the Cape Fear area.
Ruth McClellan is one such survivor who said that after her diagnosis during the pandemic, she struggled to find support until LiveLung created a chapter in the Wilmington area.
She said it means so much to be able to give other people support during their fight against the disease.
“My purpose is to share what I’ve learned with other lung cancer patients,” McClellan said. “And so when I can do that, when I can bring help and comfort to somebody else, I feel like I’m living a blessed life.”
Donaldson’s next stop is in Augusta, Georgia, and she said she can’t wait to meet and spend time with other survivors.
“I see these beautiful faces here and these lung cancer patients, I love them. It’s just, my heart just overflows with love for other lung cancer patients and I feel it from them as well.”
Donaldson recommends visiting a doctor and getting screened if you’re over the age of 50.
Her journey will end in Charlotte on November 6th.
