[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/living-life-to-the-fullest-with-stage-4-lung-cancer-rcca-patient-joanne-teeneys-message-of-hope\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/living-life-to-the-fullest-with-stage-4-lung-cancer-rcca-patient-joanne-teeneys-message-of-hope\/","headline":"Living Life to the Fullest With Stage 4 Lung Cancer: RCCA Patient Joanne Teeney\u2019s Message of Hope","name":"Living Life to the Fullest With Stage 4 Lung Cancer: RCCA Patient Joanne Teeney\u2019s Message of Hope","description":"Living Life to the Fullest With Stage 4 Lung Cancer: RCCA Patient Joanne Teeney\u2019s Message of Hope March 21, 2025 This time the diagnosis was definitive \u2013 and devastating.After first being told that she had bronchitis, and then pneumonia, Joanne Teeney had traveled from her Upper Township, NJ, home to Philadelphia, hoping a specialist at […]","datePublished":"2025-03-21","dateModified":"2025-03-25","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/seo-user\/#Person","name":"Advance SEO","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/seo-user\/","identifier":7,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25d521bea98e4070937950c92cd06d2b99615947d3d29e3682593c48f0372431?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25d521bea98e4070937950c92cd06d2b99615947d3d29e3682593c48f0372431?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","width":506,"height":228}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Joanne-Teeney.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Joanne-Teeney.jpg","height":1797,"width":2371},"url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/living-life-to-the-fullest-with-stage-4-lung-cancer-rcca-patient-joanne-teeneys-message-of-hope\/","about":["Lung Cancer"],"wordCount":2178,"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLiving Life to the Fullest With Stage 4 Lung Cancer: RCCA Patient Joanne Teeney\u2019s Message of Hope\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarch 21, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThis time the diagnosis was definitive \u2013 and devastating.After first being told that she had bronchitis, and then pneumonia, Joanne Teeney had traveled from her Upper Township, NJ, home to Philadelphia, hoping a specialist at Penn Medicine could determine why her respiratory symptoms were not responding to the medications she had been taking.The sophisticated imaging studies the specialist ordered revealed the reason.\u201cUnfortunately,\u201d the doctor said, \u201cyou have Stage 4 lung cancer.\u201d\u201cI just lost it,\u201d Ms. Teeney recalls, adding, \u201cTwo of my children were with me and they were trying to support me, but they were shocked, as well.\u201dThe bad news would get even worse. Ms. Teeney learned she had small cell lung cancer (SCLC),\u00a0an uncommon, aggressive form of lung cancer with fewer treatment options and a worse prognosis than non-small cell lung cancer, which constitutes almost 90% of all cases of the disease.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUpper Township, NJ resident Joanne Teeney shares her advice for people living with cancer.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMs. Teeney \u2013 who describes herself as \u201ca defiant little woman\u201d \u2013 responded to that shattering information with a simple question: \u201cOK. Now what do we do?\u201dThe answer, as it has unfolded over almost five years since her diagnosis, has entailed radiation therapy, participation in a clinical trial\u00a0of immunotherapy, and monthly chemotherapy. It also has included shifting her care from Philadelphia to Hope Community Cancer Center in Cape May Court House, a member of Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of oncology specialists, serving patients in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C., area.Throughout that time, Ms. Teeney has not only survived, defying the grim odds that mark SCLC, she has also thrived, living her life with zest and sharing her experience and message of hope with others at the start of their cancer journeys.A Challenging First YearKaleem Ahmad, a board-certified medical oncologist at RCCA\u2019s Cape May Court House and Marmora, NJ locations.Ms. Teeney was diagnosed in 2020, in the opening months of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the respiratory symptoms that had prompted her to seek medical care, she was experiencing back pain caused by two tumors in her lower right lung pressing on her spine. After receiving radiation therapy\u00a0to shrink the tumors, she began a clinical trial of pembrolizumab (Keytruda\u00ae), an immunotherapy drug given by intravenous infusion.\u201cThat first year, I was very sick. I was physically sick, but I also was emotionally sick. The first thing you think of when you\u2019re diagnosed is, \u2018I\u2019m going to die,\u2019\u201d Ms. Teeney says. She explains that while her cancer responded to the immunotherapy, the side effects caused her to lose a significant amount of weight and weakened her to the point that she had to use a wheelchair for some weeks. The toll of treatment occasionally made her wonder whether she could stay the course. Then a complication landed her in the hospital.\u201cI had to stay overnight, and I was on oxygen. I was beside myself. You have to understand I\u2019ve never had surgery. I wasn\u2019t on any medication before this diagnosis. I\u2019d never had an overnight hospital stay except to have my babies. I was a gym rat. I was the picture of health and all of a sudden, I\u2019m a sick woman. The pulmonologist came in to see me. He was very competent, but he looked like he was about 12 years old. I asked how long I would have to be on oxygen, and he said that, unfortunately, it would probably be for the rest of my life.\u201dThat was one medical pronouncement Ms. Teeney was not going to accept. \u201cI\u2019m alive by the grace of God and thanks to modern medicine, and I\u2019m very grateful for all that the doctors have done for me, but after two weeks at home on oxygen, I said, \u2018I\u2019m not doing this anymore.\u2019 I have things I want to do and places I want to go. I\u2019m a beach girl. So, I called them and said, \u2018Come pick up the oxygen equipment.\u2019 They said, \u2018You shouldn\u2019t do that because you might need it later.\u2019 I said, \u2018If I need it down the road, I\u2019ll call you but get this out of my house.\u2019\u201dThe oxygen equipment has not returned.The Move to RCCA\u2019s Hope Community Cancer CenterMs. Teeney soon made another change that also has had a huge impact on her quality of life.\u201cMy kids were taking turns driving me to Philadelphia and it was an all-day affair. I would get a scan in the morning and then I would get my treatment and then I would see the doctor. It was exhausting, but I thought I could only receive good care there. I was wrong about that,\u201d Ms. Teeney says.She explains that she learned that Hope Community Cancer Center, which has offices in Cape May Court House and Marmora, provides the latest cancer therapies, including the monthly chemotherapy\u00a0treatments she transitioned to after she began experiencing a diminished response to her immunotherapy\u00a0regimen.Being able to receive treatment at a comprehensive cancer center 10 minutes from her home has made a major difference, she explains. \u201cYou\u2019re not dealing with getting to the city and the traffic and the parking there. And if you don\u2019t feel well, it\u2019s great to be back home quickly,\u201d she explains.Beyond the convenience factor, the human factor is a decisive plus for Hope Community Cancer Center, Ms. Teeney says. \u201cI\u2019ve received nothing but the best care there. I love Dr. Kaleem Ahmad. He is upfront and honest and compassionate, and the women in the office have been unbelievable. I couldn\u2019t ask for a better care facility.\u201dIronically, Ms. Teeney says that her regard for Dr. Ahmad owes not only to all he has done to provide her with the right care but also due to one point on which he was wrong. She explains that she got her first tattoo when she turned 50 years old and has since added several others. At different points in her cancer care, she adds, she has asked oncologists whether she could get another tattoo to mark her fight against the disease. The answer \u2013 from Dr. Ahmad and her previous oncologists \u2013 had always been a flat no due to concerns about potential infection.\u201cAbout three months ago I was in the office for a treatment and Dr. Ahmad walks in and says, \u2018I have to apologize to you.\u2019 I said, \u2018For what?\u2019 You have to understand, this man has given me his cell phone number and told me to call anytime I have a concern. I know other people he\u2019s treating whose children have texted him with a question they had about their parents\u2019 care. He always says that this is what he is here for. So, he explained that after he told me that I couldn\u2019t get a tattoo, he went home that night and researched the scientific literature on the risks of tattooing in cancer patients in active treatment and that he could not find solid evidence against it, so I could get a tattoo if I wished. He knew how much this meant to me and he looked into it on his own time. It made me cry.\u201dA Message of Hope for Others With CancerMs. Teeney explains that while she is a people person, focusing on herself and public speaking are not in her nature. For that reason, she adds, her first instinct was to decline when she was asked to talk with others about her experience with cancer. \u201cThen I thought, how dare I not talk about what I\u2019ve been through if it gives one person hope? I think a lot about my purpose, and I say, \u2018OK, Lord, use me . . . \u00a0but please use me for at least the next 15 years,\u2019\u201d she says with a laugh.That willingness to share her story has prompted Ms. Teeney to participate in a support group operated by Gilda\u2019s Club, a nationwide non-profit organization named for the late Gilda Radner that offers a range of services to people with cancer and their families.She also agreed to appear in a video in which she shared her hard-won insights on living with cancer. Those insights include:Advocate for yourself, including by asking plenty of questions. \u201cYou have to advocate for yourself just as you would if your young child was sick,\u201d she says.Good judgment is essential; being judgmental is pointless. \u201cWhen you\u2019re dealing with cancer, you need to take time to digest things and not make rash decisions. You need to look for the physicians who you feel will provide the best care and you need to gather all of the information and decide for yourself on the course of action that\u2019s right for you,\u201d Ms. Teeney says. At the same time, she adds, there is no benefit to looking back on your life \u2013 much less on the life of another person who has been diagnosed with cancer \u2013 and judging what actions or inactions may have contributed to the illness.Hold fast to hope, particularly in the toughest times. \u201cI can\u2019t believe that at one point I said that I didn\u2019t want to do this anymore, because I can\u2019t imagine what stopping treatment at that point would have done to my children and grandchildren,\u201d she says. At the same time, Ms. Teeney adds, it is important to be gentle with yourself, to acknowledge that what you\u2019re going through is very difficult, and to seek the help and support you need.Remember that outward appearances can be deceiving. \u201cI look healthier than I\u2019ve ever looked in my life, and I\u2019m grateful for that, but people will see me and not know what I\u2019m feeling that day, not know about the neuropathy that I have as a side effect of my treatment, not know that I had chemo a couple of days before and am feeling the effects. Everyone\u2019s cancer journey is different, the way each of us responds to having cancer is different, and it\u2019s important to recognize that and to realize that you cannot know how someone is doing unless you really take the time to understand them,\u201d Ms. Teeney says.Find the gifts that each day offers. \u201cI love life. I always have had a zest for living. Living with cancer gives you an even greater appreciation of the importance of making the most of each day. Whether it\u2019s getting a tattoo that has significance for you or just enjoying a chocolate candy bar or being on the beach, do the things that enrich each day.\u201d++++++++Ms. Teeney\u2019s oncologist, Kaleem Ahmad, MD, is among 100+ medical oncologists and hematologists\u00a0who practice with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) at more than 20 locations\u00a0across New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C.,\u00a0area. RCCA\u2019s cancer specialists see more than 30,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 265,000 established patients, collaborating closely with those patients\u2019 other physicians. RCCA physicians offer patients innovative therapies, including immunotherapies\u00a0and targeted therapy, as well as access to approximately 300\u00a0clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders, RCCA care centers also provide\u00a0infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions\u2014including\u00a0multiple sclerosis,\u00a0Crohn\u2019s disease,\u00a0asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u2014who take intravenously-administered medications.To learn more about RCCA, call 1-844-346-7222\u00a0or contact RCCA.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twe are here for you\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the\u00a0RCCA location\u00a0nearest you.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\trequest an appointment\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRELATED ARTICLES\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAdvancements in Lung Cancer Treatment Provide Hope for RCCA Patients\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA lung cancer diagnosis can be life-changing, bringing uncertainty and many questions about available treatments. At Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), we understand the importance\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTo Smokers and Former Smokers (and Those Who Love Them): Potentially Life-Saving Advice from 2 RCCA Oncologists\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat if there was a safe, painless, and quick screening test that could reduce the number of lung cancer deaths by 20%? And what if that test was covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial insurers? \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRESOLVE to Make Cancer Screening a Priority\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor 2022, let\u2019s resolve to stay active with cancer screenings! According to the American Cancer Society more than 1.9 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer. The best way to protect ourselves from poor outcomes is detection in early stages when cancer can be cured. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Living Life to the Fullest With Stage 4 Lung Cancer: RCCA Patient Joanne Teeney\u2019s Message of Hope","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/living-life-to-the-fullest-with-stage-4-lung-cancer-rcca-patient-joanne-teeneys-message-of-hope\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]