About Heidi:

  • Lives with her husband and high school sweetheart, Pierre
  • Heidi and Pierre have 3 adult children
  • Heidi holds a master's degree in Health Education and has been a fitness trainer for 16 years

Heidi’s Journey With Cancer

  • Diagnosed with Stage 3A lung cancer
  • Received biomarker testing that indicated there was no mutation
  • Treatment plan was chemoradiation with immunotherapy infusions every 2 weeks
  • Most recent scan showed no evidence of active lung cancer

From Heidi’s Perspective

My life changed forever at the age of 55. The day I was diagnosed with Stage 3A lung cancer. I felt a familiar twinge on my lower left side and thought, given my age and my history of ovarian cysts, I should get this checked by my gynaecologist. My gynaecologist then ordered a CT scan of my chest, abdomen and pelvis to rule out anything troublesome and the results were shocking. After an examination and ultrasound, my doctor told me I had a 6-centimetre cyst on my left ovary.

My Diagnosis

The result of my CT scan was shocking.

My thoughts raced. How could I have advanced stage lung cancer? Working out 7 days a week – cardio, strength, core training, and clean eating – has been a huge part of my life and who I am. I am a health educator and fitness trainer. I teach fitness classes to healthcare professionals, live a life of prevention, and I have never smoked.

The Importance of Lung Cancer Screening

I have learned a lot since my diagnosis. Lung cancer is the most lethal cancer in our country and there is a disproportionate amount of research investment allocated to it when compared to other cancers.

Getting a Second Opinion

I was told to get my affairs in order by my pulmonologist. After meeting with my oncologist and having a second opinion, the treatment plan and potential outcome offered much more hope.

After I was diagnosed, I received basic biomarker testing, which did not demonstrate any driver mutations. Because I had multi-station disease, I was considered inoperable and was offered one treatment option: chemoradiation followed by a year of every other week of immunotherapy infusions if I could tolerate them.

Treatment Process

The unexpected change in my life after diagnosis is that I am able to stay independent. I continue to work, eat and drink normally, and keep up with my fitness.

The Emotional Toll

Emotionally, however, this diagnosis has taken a toll on me and my family. I did not expect to be put on the defensive as soon as someone found out about my diagnosis. I was never greeted with "I'm so sorry”; the first comment to me is always "I didn't know you are/were a smoker". This stigma hurts me deeply and has caused me more emotional damage than anything.

I live each day in the moment as best I can, but when scan day nears, my anxiety peaks. I get a good scan result, I plan lots of fun things and trips – mainly visits to see my children, and exploring places on my bucket list, and it helps me live my best life. Learning to live to the fullest in 3-month intervals has become our routine and has actually brought us a lot of joyful experiences.

Hope for the Future

The fact that I am doing well gives me hope. I am determined to show my face, tell my story, and spread awareness that anyone with lungs can get lung cancer.