In the summer of 2016, Frank noticed he had a persistent cough he just couldn’t shake. As a certified personal trainer since 1998, and a gym owner since 2003 (which he runs to this day), he seemed to be the picture of health. Because the cough was his only symptom, his doctor originally diagnosed him with bad allergies, and then bronchitis which she treated with a course of antibiotics. When his cough persisted, she ordered a chest X-ray which showed fluid in his lungs. She referred Frank to a pulmonologist who suggested draining the fluid and sending it for testing so that they could determine the cause of the buildup. The tests came back positive for cancer and follow-up scans would confirm that Frank not only had cancer in both lungs, but it had metastasized to many other parts of his body.
Because he was in such good shape, a non-smoker and had not been exposed to radon, the doctors did biomarker testing to determine what might be the cause of the cancer. They found that Frank had an EGFR mutation, which also meant he was a candidate for targeted therapy. After three terrible months where Frank got worse and worse, the doctors decided they needed a new plan of action and did a lung biopsy which helped to narrow down his cancer to an even more specific mutation. Once again, he was put on a new targeted therapy treatment, and this time it worked. Within a couple weeks Frank began to regain his strength and energy and within a few months he was back at the gym.
Despite his turnaround, Frank decided he needed to slow down a bit, and retired from teaching, which had been his full-time job for 36 years, and focused on spending time at the gym. “In Thanksgiving of 2016 my family didn’t think I was going to make it to Christmas because of how rapidly I went downhill. So, when I started the second targeted therapy and improved so quickly, they were shocked and relieved. That treatment had not been available a year earlier. It shows the progression of research dollars and how important that funding is."
The Power of Movement
Frank has always believed strongly in the power of movement and found it to be especially important after his diagnosis. ’"After my last few scans, I just thought I felt too good for them to be bad. I think my mental wellness translates physically and visa versa,” he said.
Frank decided to share his knowledge with others, spending time at the gym not only making himself strong, but helping others achieve their fitness goals. “I wanted to give back, so I became certified as a cancer exercise specialist and started working with our local healthcare system and cancer patients.” This led to the establishment of his own wellness program.
“Lots of people have an adverse reaction to the word 'exercise,' so I like to use the term 'movement' which doesn’t just refer to a carved-out time when you do a specific task but can apply to any type of small actions that require your body to move throughout the day.” When COVID-19 hit in 2020 and forced his gym to shut down for a few months, Frank decided to reach out to other groups, like the American Lung Association to see what he could do to continue to help people in the lung cancer community. He recorded 30-minute videos over Zoom that showed ways to incorporate movement into daily life. “For people with lung related issues, you may not be able to do every form of exercise but if you listen to your body and are properly guided, any form of movement can make a big difference,” he said. With the help of the Lung Association, he was able to produce more videos and do online trainings that were accessible to everyone.
Frank’s videos focus on exercises you can do without weights either sitting in or standing by a chair. “When you’re brushing your teeth, you can practice balancing on one foot. Or when you put something in the microwave lean over and do a few push-ups off the counter while you wait. If you are unloading the dishwasher, try to stretch and put things on that higher shelf. If you’re watching TV and a commercial comes on, you can do some cross core movements while you are sitting or get up and walk around the house and then come back and sit down,” he explained.
“If you can go to a gym and work out that is great, but if you can’t there are other ways to add movement to your day. Every little bit is better than doing nothing.”
"After eight years it is kind of like I am making history and achieving what we set out to do. That has been my motivation.”
Beating the Odds
When Frank was first diagnosed, he did some research and found that the 5-year survival rate was only 4%, with 50% of patients with his level of disease surviving for nine months. As scary as that initial finding was, he didn’t let those stats defeat him, instead it inspired his motto. “The first day I said to my doctor, we are going to beat this, we are going to make history,” Frank explained. It would be that motto that he used when participating in Lung Association fundraisers.
“One day when I wasn’t feeling well, and I was unable to work out or even just get off the couch. I felt like I got beat. But I decided that I could get up and win tomorrow. And that is what I try to do every day. And if I win enough days then I will make history.”
It has been 8 years since Frank was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and he credits his ability to beat the odds to his determination to remain active in any way he could. “Whether it’s taking a walk or just making yourself move around your house, I think any type of movement you can make throughout the day will only keep you strong and help you deal with any health problems.”
Frank continues to spread his message by supporting the Lung Association at events like this year’s Advocacy Day. He met with the health policy representatives for state senators to tell his story and encourage others with lung cancer to get moving. “I tell my story from the angle of if you have lungs, you can get lung cancer, and I am a great example of just that,” he said.
Blog last updated: May 20, 2024
