Nadine Burgess, 44, Completes Lung Cancer Treatment and Wins Clearance for 14,000-Foot Bhutan Trek
Updated
Updated · MultiCare · Oct 21
Nadine Burgess, 44, Completes Lung Cancer Treatment and Wins Clearance for 14,000-Foot Bhutan Trek
1 articles · Updated · MultiCare · Oct 21
Summary
Nadine Burgess, 44, finished chemotherapy in May and has now been cleared by her care team to take a long-planned trek in Bhutan’s high Himalayas at 14,000 feet.
A persistent cough led to scans, a biopsy and a diagnosis of stage 2b invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma with a KRAS mutation, despite Burgess being a never-smoker and longtime gymnastics coach.
A 6-centimeter tumor and Burgess’ upper right lung lobe were removed before she underwent four chemotherapy rounds spaced 21 days apart to reduce recurrence risk.
Her doctors said Burgess’ fitness helped her tolerate treatment, and recent testing showed lung function had returned to 100% after surgery.
The case underscores a broader warning from her oncologist: lung cancer can strike young, healthy nonsmokers, and rapid diagnosis can preserve the window for potentially curative surgery.