A 44-year-old mom felt out of breath while talking. It turns out she had stage 4 lung cancer, despite never smoking.

Summer Farmen is a six-year survivor of a rare lung cancer and now helps advocate for more research and education on the disease. Courtesy of Summer Farmen Summer Farmen, a mom of three, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer despite never smoking. The condition, known as alk-positive lung cancer, inspired her to become an advocate to give back. Farmen is celebrating six years as a survivor thanks to targeted therapy medications that fight tumors. When Summer Farmen first noticed the shortness of breath and persistent tiredness, she didn't think much of it. It was early 2020, but COVID wasn't her first thought, since she otherwise felt fine. Within a month, she found herself choking and coughing during casual conversations.