Being diagnosed with lung cancer can be overwhelming.
This book is here to help.
The ABCs of Lung Cancer for Patients and Advocates offers clear, compassionate guidance to help you find your footing in unfamiliar territory. Written by a mother-daughter team—one a longtime lung cancer survivor, the other a writer and advocate—this book breaks down complex information into bite-sized, easy-to-understand chapters.
Organized from A to Z, each chapter focuses on a topic that matters: Biomarker Testing. Clinical Trials. Hope. Palliative Care. Second Opinions. Stigma. Survivorship. And more.
Whether you're newly diagnosed, supporting someone with lung cancer, or simply seeking to better understand this disease, The ABCs of Lung Cancer provides:
• Insight gained from more than a decade of patient advocacy
• Practical tips for navigating appointments, treatment decisions, and emotional ups and
downs
• Personal stories from the authors and the lung cancer community
• Encouragement and empowerment at every turn
This is not a medical textbook. It’s a deeply human guidebook—designed to inform, inspire, and help you move forward with clarity and courage.
​Dusty Donaldson & Kimberly Lester
Co-authors of The ABCs of Lung Cancer Advocates & Leaders of LiveLung
A Survivor & Daughter Duo Bringing Hope and Clarity to the Lung Cancer Conversation
Dusty Donaldson became a lung cancer advocate after her own diagnosis in September 2005. In 2010, she founded the Dusty Joy Foundation (LiveLung), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing lung cancer education, early detection, and compassion. Today, LiveLung hosts a growing network of monthly patient groups across the country, connecting patients, caregivers, providers, and researchers. Through these efforts, LiveLung is improving health outcomes and helping people impacted by lung cancer live as well as possible for as long as possible.
Before her diagnosis, Dusty worked as a journalist at daily newspapers in Virginia and North Carolina, earning multiple awards from the Virginia Press Association. She later transitioned to a career in communications and media relations. She holds a BA in journalism from Norfolk State University, an MA in public policy journalism from Regent University, and a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University. Dusty lives in High Point, North Carolina, with her rescue cats, Buttons and Butterscotch.
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Kimberly Lester has been part of her mother’s lung cancer journey since day one. Since Dusty's diagnosis in 2005, Kimberly has supported the lung cancer community through writing, design, social media, and advocacy. She is a technical writer with a BS in Professional Writing from Old Dominion University. She’s currently living her best cat lady life in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley with Scoop, Lily, Diesel, Petie Pie, and Nutmeg.
The latest science, more stories, fresh resources, and a message of hope.
Now in its 2nd edition, The ABCs of Lung Cancer for Patients and Advocates has been fully updated and expanded and is available for preorder now!
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What's new in this latest edition?
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The latest science on treatment, screening, and survivorship
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Expanded care partner insights from Kimberly’s perspective
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More real patient stories and messages of hope
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Fresh resources to support patients, families, and advocates