“I didn’t think I was going to make it, so it’s really about my life today and how cancer makes a difference in a person’s life,” said Thomasina Holmes, a thriving lung cancer survivor who credits Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center for saving her life.
An estimated 221,200 Americans (ACS Facts and Figures, 2015) will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, and the disease is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the U.S.
When Thomasina was diagnosed with lung cancer, she knew the road ahead of her would be a long and tiring one. She wanted to give up, but as her loved ones came to her side to support her in this battle it gave her the hope she needed and the will to keep fighting. Like every Roswell Park patient, she received a custom treatment and post-treatment plan. As a cancer surivor, she will continue to see her doctor long-term to watch for any reappearance of cancer and address her health needs.
Having a new lease on life, Thomasina started her own business with the hope of giving her kids the bright future they deserve. Now that she has her life back, Thomasina wants everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms associated with lung cancer, and the extreme importance of taking care of your body. To keep her message spreading, she’s even begun working on a book, entitled Open Your Eyes.
“Don’t ever say it can’t happen to me, because cancer doesn’t discriminate. I just thank my God who got me through it. It changed my life completely. I’m a better mother. I’m a better business woman, and I’m a better friend,” says Thomasina. “It’s really serious, and it seems like there’s so many people that have it, and you just don’t know. But I always pray. I thank God for another day.”