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Choosing an oncologist is one of the most important decisions you’ll make after a lung cancer diagnosis—but most patients are never taught how to do it.

If you’re newly diagnosed, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, this video walks through the practical, real-world steps that can help you choose the right oncologist with more confidence and less fear.

In this episode of Lung Cancer Strong, I cover:

• Why a thoracic oncologist matters in lung cancer care
• How to get referrals—and which ones actually help
• What to look for when researching doctors online
• Insurance and access questions you must ask early
• How to verify credentials and licensing
• The overlooked human factors that can make or break your care
• The most important question of all: Do they show they care?

I also share my personal experience working with multiple oncologists across different cancer centers—and why changing doctors ultimately changed the course of my treatment.

This isn’t a casual decision.
It’s a sacred one.

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🫁 About Lung Cancer Strong: Lung Cancer Strong is a docuseries-style podcast and YouTube channel that shares the deeply personal journey of host Tina Powell, a stage 4 lung cancer patient and survivor, alongside candid conversations with others impacted by the disease. The podcast will also offer first-hand interviews with knowledgeable experts in health, science, nutrition, alternative medicine, and finance to discuss issues relating to navigating the various complexities of this disease. The series provides honest, unfiltered stories and perspectives, giving patients, caregivers, and the broader community a place to feel seen, understood, and supported with information from the patient’s perspective.

📺 Find Us and Subscribe on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LungCancerStrong

📧 Want to connect or share your story? Email tina@lungcancerstrong.com
Subscribe for more real, unfiltered patient stories and practical tips.
One breath, one story, one day at a time.

Disclaimer: This podcast is strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your oncologist, doctors and medical team for questions specific to your own health, diagnosis and treatment.

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When you’re diagnosed with lung cancer, the language moves fast — and no one stops to translate.

Stage. Stable. Progression. Biomarkers. Standard of care.
These words show up immediately, and misunderstanding even one of them can change how you feel, how you decide, and how much fear you carry.

In this episode of Lung Cancer Strong, I break down the lung cancer terms I wish someone had explained to me slowly and clearly when I was first diagnosed. Not from a textbook — but from lived experience.

This episode is for:

• Anyone newly diagnosed with lung cancer
• Caregivers trying to keep up with medical conversations
• Patients who want to advocate for themselves without panic
• Anyone overwhelmed by scan reports, research articles, or oncology appointments

Understanding your cancer isn’t optional.
It’s how you reduce fear, ask better questions, and make informed decisions.

Support the show

🫁 About Lung Cancer Strong: Lung Cancer Strong is a docuseries-style podcast and YouTube channel that shares the deeply personal journey of host Tina Powell, a stage 4 lung cancer patient and survivor, alongside candid conversations with others impacted by the disease. The podcast will also offer first-hand interviews with knowledgeable experts in health, science, nutrition, alternative medicine, and finance to discuss issues relating to navigating the various complexities of this disease. The series provides honest, unfiltered stories and perspectives, giving patients, caregivers, and the broader community a place to feel seen, understood, and supported with information from the patient’s perspective.

📺 Find Us and Subscribe on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LungCancerStrong

📧 Want to connect or share your story? Email tina@lungcancerstrong.com
Subscribe for more real, unfiltered patient stories and practical tips.
One breath, one story, one day at a time.

Disclaimer: This podcast is strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your oncologist, doctors and medical team for questions specific to your own health, diagnosis and treatment.

Send us a text

Scanxiety is a word most cancer patients don’t need explained—but few outside the cancer community truly understand. In this deeply personal episode of Lung Cancer Strong, Tina Powell shares what scanxiety feels like from the inside. Not the sanitized version. The real one. The agitation. The sleepless nights. The spiraling thoughts. The isolation. And the weight of living scan to scan.

Tina is currently undergoing scans every six weeks as part of a clinical trial, and she speaks candidly about how scanxiety has not disappeared with time—even three years into a stage IV lung cancer diagnosis. What has changed is her ability to recognize the warning signs and respond with intention instead of judgment.

This episode walks through:

• What scanxiety really is—and why it’s universal among cancer patients
• The physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms Tina experiences before scans
• Why scans are terrifying and essential
• Ten tools Tina uses (often in combination) to manage scanxiety
• How reframing scans helped her make one of the most important medical pivots of her life

This is not medical advice. It’s lived experience, shared openly for anyone who needs to feel less alone while waiting for results.

If you’re living between scans—or supporting someone who is—this episode is for you.

Support the show

🫁 About Lung Cancer Strong: Lung Cancer Strong is a docuseries-style podcast and YouTube channel that shares the deeply personal journey of host Tina Powell, a stage 4 lung cancer patient and survivor, alongside candid conversations with others impacted by the disease. The podcast will also offer first-hand interviews with knowledgeable experts in health, science, nutrition, alternative medicine, and finance to discuss issues relating to navigating the various complexities of this disease. The series provides honest, unfiltered stories and perspectives, giving patients, caregivers, and the broader community a place to feel seen, understood, and supported with information from the patient’s perspective.

📺 Find Us and Subscribe on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LungCancerStrong

📧 Want to connect or share your story? Email tina@lungcancerstrong.com
Subscribe for more real, unfiltered patient stories and practical tips.
One breath, one story, one day at a time.

Disclaimer: This podcast is strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your oncologist, doctors and medical team for questions specific to your own health, diagnosis and treatment.