I met Don Gallagher through my website. He contacted me after he and his wife had read Chris’ book “Cancer on Two Wheels” and my book “His Love Carries Me.” He wanted to thank me for publishing the books that helped them navigate through his lung cancer journey. An engineer, cyclist, and never-smoker like Chris, he could relate with Chris’ story, and his wife learned to be a diligent advocate from my experiences.
Danielle's Story
In February 2016, Chris and I had the privilege of meeting Danielle James and her husband at a LUNGevity Hope Summit in the Dallas area. Danielle benefited from the drug crizotinib that Chris was in the clinical trial for when it was FDA approved for lung cancer. They shared the same rare gene mutation. She is such an inspiration with what she is doing with her life, I just had to share. This is Danielle’s story (shared with her permission):
Video of Chris Sharing His Story-Part 2 & 3
Video of Chris Sharing His Story-Part 1
The Stigma of Lung Cancer Kills
Our friend Cindy passed away from lung cancer at age 39, and we attended her funeral in Houston on November 1. That day was difficult for both of us. With Cindy’s passing, four of the lung cancer patients we had become friends with and mentors to had died. They didn’t live as long with the diagnosis as Chris had. He had a little bit of survivor’s guilt because he was diagnosed first.
“Why am I still here and they’re not?” he asked.
Cindy’s death strengthened his determination to be a voice for people who can no longer speak for themselves here on earth. He wanted to raise awareness of this despicable disease and get it the attention it deserves.
The media has done a fantastic job of teaching our society that smoking can cause cancer. Now another harmful influence is causing deaths from lung cancer in those who have never smoked due to delayed diagnosis—stigma. People, including many doctors, still think that only smokers get the disease.
White for the Fight Against Lung Cancer
Chris always wanted to raise awareness of lung cancer and get it the attention this despicable disease deserves, especially during November—Lung Cancer Awareness Month. He was upset that breast cancer—not lung cancer—was still getting all the media attention, with pink everywhere.
Back in 2012, he made the following tongue-in-cheek announcement on CaringBridge: