*November 2025*
At its heart, a community is defined by what brings people together, no matter how different our lives or experiences. And few things unite us more than a shared purpose and shared hope.
This past November, more than 110 patients and caregivers impacted by EGFR‑positive lung cancer gathered in Chicago for our first‑ever Patient & Caregiver Summit. We came from different cities, backgrounds and stages of this disease, but we were united by a desire to learn, connect and find strength in one another. None of us chose this community, but every one of us belong.
Throughout the weekend, we heard from leading experts about treatment advances, clinical trials, supportive care, and the day-to-day realities of living with the disease. We shared stories, compared experiences, and created a safe space for fear, frustration, resilience and hope. And we left with a deeper sense that we are not alone.
When words fall short, I often turn to analogies and the one that best captures our community is a tapestry. Each story in this community is a thread in a tapestry of countless other stories woven together over decades. Threads of different sizes and colors, each with its own texture, weight, and history. Every thread matters. Every thread strengthens the whole. And woven together, they create something none of us could build alone. That is the power of this community.
The Summit was full of information, of emotion, of connection. We couldn’t cover every topic in one weekend, but the themes raised will guide our future programs, webinars, and tools. What mattered most was the feeling in the room: people left more informed, empowered, and more connected than when they arrived. Watch the Summit Reflections video here.
