Bonny’s story: Facing lung cancer with courage

As a smoker of nearly 30 years, Bonny is grateful for her life today. Looking back, she knows just how lucky she is.

When Bonny first started losing weight in early 2021, she was excited—after all, she’d been trying to slim down for years. But as the months went on, her excitement gave way to unease. Deep down, she had a nagging feeling there was something more serious going on.

Because of her long history of smoking, her doctor recommended she see a lung specialist. The lung specialist ordered a CT scan, which revealed what Bonny called a “tiny smudge” on her lung.

The news that that smudge could be cancer hit Bonny hard.

“When the doctor first told me that it might be cancer, I went home and cried,” she said.

Her care team recommended repeat CT scans every few months to monitor the growth of the smudge. Over time, it grew enough for doctors to recommend a biopsy—which revealed what Bonny had feared. She had lung cancer.

At first, Bonny kept the news to herself. She didn’t want her family to worry. She said the hardest part of the whole process wasn’t surgery or recovery. It was finding the words to tell her mom and sister she had cancer.

Though she was afraid, Bonny refused to let fear consume her. Determined to stay positive, she leaned on her inner strength.

“I stayed positive by giving myself pep talks and reminding myself that I’m strong,” Bonny said. “I’ve been through things before, and I’ve been able to get through them, so I can get through this.”

That strength carried her into surgery, where doctors removed the affected portion of her lung. They also tested her lymph nodes, which revealed good news: the cancer hadn’t spread.

“Because of the staff and the support, the experience wasn’t as scary as you might think it would be,” she said. “Cancer is this big scary word, but with a lot of help, I got through it.”

Bonny will never forget the relief she felt when she woke up and heard the positive results. The cancer was gone.

She credits her Baylor Scott & White care team for making an overwhelming diagnosis seem manageable, and for keeping her spirits up along the way.

“Baylor Scott & White Health probably gave me one of the best medical experiences I’ve had,” she said. “They were positive and kind. There was a kind of camaraderie. They made me feel at ease.”

Recovery was quicker than she expected, Bonny was grateful to be back to her daily walks within just a few days of having surgery—something she won’t take for granted again.

She’s even more grateful that she listened to her instincts by going to the doctor when something felt off. Now, she shares her story as a reminder to others: trust your gut.

“I was a smoker for almost 29 years,” she said. “That’s a long time. It was not my best decision in life—but it was a great decision to go to the doctor when my gut said so.”

Today, she’s not only cancer-free but also filled with gratitude—for her health, her care team and the second chance to enjoy every day.

Lung cancer screening saves lives

If you’re worried about your risk of lung cancer due to a history of smoking, talk to your doctor about lung cancer screening options. Regular screening is a quick, noninvasive way to gain peace of mind about your lung cancer risk, year after year.

A lung cancer screening is a test that uses a low-dose CT scan to catch signs of lung cancer before you have symptoms. Screening only takes a few minutes and is recommended yearly for people with a history of smoking.

“In life, you can’t go back for a redo and change your risk factors like several years of smoking, but you can carefully screen for lung cancer,” said Abhishek Kumar, MD, interventional pulmonologist on the medical staff and medical director of interventional pulmonology at Baylor University Medical Center. “Screening detects lung cancers in early stages I and II, giving you a real chance at a cure with surgery or stereotactic radiation treatments.”

Without active screening, over a third of people with lung cancer get diagnosed in stage III or IV, when treatment is typically not possible.

So, who should consider lung cancer screening? The most recent lung cancer screening guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force recommend screening if you:

• Are 50 to 80 years old
• Have a smoking history of 20 pack years or more (one pack year is defined as smoking one pack of cigarettes a day for a year or an equivalent amount)
• Currently smoke or have quit smoking within the past 15 years
• Have no symptoms

If you think you may qualify for lung cancer screening, reach out to your primary care provider or learn more about lung cancer screening options today.