Non-smoking mother diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer becomes advocate after rare genetic mutation found

Summer Farmen, a 44-year-old mother of three from Pennsylvania, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2020 despite never smoking. Initially dismissed as asthma or COVID, her symptoms worsened until doctors drained 2 liters of fluid from her lungs. She was found to have ALK-positive lung cancer, a rare genetic mutation that is highly treatable with targeted therapy. More than six years later, Farmen is thriving and has become vice president of Alk Positive Inc., a nonprofit funding research and support. She contributed to a study on patient preferences in balancing treatment benefits and side effects. Her story highlights that lung cancer can affect non-smokers and that patient advocacy can empower others facing the disease.