‘Doctors, kept saying 'you’re imagining things' until they discovered it was stage 4 lung cancer’ - Nadiia
I'm Nadiia, I was 46 years old when I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2024. I'm Ukrainian, fleeing from war, working and living in Warsaw, Poland. My symptoms were a persistent cough, feeling tired all the time, hip and back pain, extreme fatigue during simple infections which included fainting, and headaches.
I spent a year persistently visiting doctors trying to address my symptoms before they finally diagnosed me with stage 4 lung cancer in the with metastases to bones (ribs, legs, pelvis, shoulder, and more), liver, and brain. I have an EGFR exon 19 deletion.
It never occurred to me that lung cancer was something that could affect me at my age. I have two kids: my eldest son is in brain cancer survival, and my daughter is just 8 years old. Unfortunately, I'm not at a point where I can say I'm getting back to myself.
With war in Ukraine, I see stories from my friends that are far worse than mine, but living with a countdown timer is not a joke and I can't say I have handy routine or practices. This experience is quite isolating. I can't work, and I look the same, meaning my colleagues are often quite judgemental about it. It's really hard for a young woman who was fit and exercising and healthy overall.
Unfortunately, I have no healthcare team to support me. You have to really, really work hard to present your case and to make them take you seriously. My family keeps supporting me and that's precious. I just stubbornly go on with my routine: eating, exercising and sleeping, all with great difficulty. Most of the time I rely solely on my own willpower. Facebook groups of the EGFR lung cancer fighters have provided valuable information.
I find calm and comfort raising my kids, baking buns, drinking wine and practising yoga.
