Joanna What cancer were you diagnosed with? Stage 4 ALK positive incurable lung cancer What age were you diagnosed? 34 What has helped you to thrive? Connecting with other young adults with cancer has really helped. There is a wonderful Stage 4 community that support each other and Trekstock have been amazing. Joanna's Story In 23rd July 2019 I was diagnosed with stage 4 ALK positive incurable lung cancer. I was 34 years old. Alk positive is a rare genetic mutation of the disease that affects just 3% of the lung cancer community. It typically effects women, between the ages of 20 and 50 and is not smoking related. Although 28% of all lung cancers diagnosises were not smoking related in 2019. If you have lungs, you can get lung cancer. I had just become a new mum, Freya was just 6 months old when I was diagnosed. I had suffered terrible sickness during pregnancy, constant chest infections and had lost 2 stone in weight. These were actually signs of lung cancer although it wasn't realised at the time. ALK lung cancer is incurable, although the prognosis is better than standard lung cancer at this stage. I take targeted therapy every day and have scans every 3 months to check progression. I have been on treatment just over a year and my cancer is stable so far. Manage Cookie Preferences