Ashley - diagnosed with stage IV RET positive NSCLC at age 36

In November 2021, our beautiful Ashley died of RETpositive stage 4 NSCLC

They thought my nagging dry cough was some sort of infection due to my age, overall good health and lack of smoking history. On July 21, 2020, I received the phone call that changed my life - cancer. I just fell into my husband’s arms crying as my 3 year old daughter played outside, completely unaware.

My blood biopsy came back confirming a RET mutation. I started Pralsetinib, a targeted RET inhibitor, and as of March 2021, I’m currently NED. I’m glad to be getting back to my life as a working wife and mother while trying to advocate for lung cancer, specifically the RET mutation and younger patients with no smoking history.