Speaking Out, Showing Up, and Shifting the Narrative

Ashley Vassallo is a 37-year-old mother of 2 young boys living in Northern California. Formerly a hospice social worker, she now works as a patient advocate focused on raising awareness of lung cancer in young women without a smoking history. Her favorite ways to recharge include pottery, caring for indoor plants, weightlifting, and rock climbing.

Ashley had spent more than a year searching for answers. 

At 34, she was a healthcare worker, a mom of 2, and someone who “did everything right.” But her body was sending clear signals that something was wrong: unrelenting fatigue, weight loss, shortness of breath, even joint pain so severe she couldn’t hold a pen at work. She saw medical professionals over 20 times, but again and again, they dismissed her concerns and chalked it up to stress, the pandemic, or postpartum exhaustion. At one point, she was hospitalized with what doctors called pneumonia, but the antibiotics didn’t help, and her symptoms only got worse.  

“I felt like I was dying,” she said. “But no one was listening. I knew in my gut it wasn’t normal. But I was juggling so much—a separation, 2 kids, a demanding job—that even I started to doubt myself.” 

It wasn’t until her new partner urged Ashley to demand a CT scan that she found the clarity she’d been fighting for. A trip to the ER—motivated mainly by not wanting to inconvenience someone else—finally led to the scan that showed what no one else had caught: lung cancer. 

Shocking as it may sound, Ashley’s first feeling was relief. “I remember thinking: finally! I’m not crazy. I’m going to get the care I need.” 

A diagnosis and a decision to speak out 

Ashley doesn’t have a targetable biomarker. Her PD-L1 was low. After initial treatment with chemo and immunotherapy, she had a lung removed, and later, she experienced a serious side effect called immunotherapy-induced hepatitis. She’s also been through radiation, multiple recurrences, and is now on a new drug being studied in a clinical trial.

But it wasn’t just the treatment that challenged her; it was the isolation. “At first, I didn’t share anything publicly. I thought, if I talk about this, it’ll become too real. I didn’t want cancer to define me.” 

That changed after her lung surgery. Physically recovering and emotionally depleted, Ashley felt like the only young woman, maybe someone else was out there feeling the same way.” 

She created TikTok and Instagram accounts under the handle @onelunglady and started talking. Her first video—filmed in a moment of vulnerability, pain, and honesty—got 1 million views. “Suddenly, people were reaching out saying, ‘Yes! Me too.’ And I wasn’t alone anymore.” 

Finding a path forward with LungMATCH 

When Ashley was told she might need to explore clinical trials as the next treatment, she felt overwhelmed. “I didn’t even know where to begin. ClinicalTrials.gov made no sense. It was like reading another language.” 

That’s when she turned to LungMATCH, which supports people with lung cancer in navigating treatment options and identifying relevant clinical trials. “It was such a relief. I sent over my information, and one of the treatment and trial navigators walked me through the options, explained what they meant, and helped me understand what I might qualify for.” 

With the help of LungMATCH, Ashley ultimately enrolled in a phase 3 (III) clinical trial at her own hospital. “LungMATCH felt like a lifeline. Not just because it matched me with what I hope will be a very successful treatment, but because I didn’t have to do it all alone.” 

Redefining what advocacy looks like 

Ashley’s social media presence has become a lifeline—for her and for others. Through honest videos, practical advice, and raw glimpses into her daily life, she’s become a trusted voice for young people facing a disease still burdened by stigma. 

“I wanted to create the kind of content I wish I had seen before I was diagnosed,” she said. “If 1 person demands a scan because of something I shared, that could save their life.”  

“Storytelling is so important for this disease,” she said. “People need to see the face of lung cancer. That builds public sympathy. Until we have that, we’re never going to get the kind of attention and funding of a disease like breast cancer.” 

And while she’s become a public advocate, Ashley is quick to remind others that sharing is a choice. “You don’t owe anyone your story. Living it is enough.” 

For those who do choose to speak up, Ashley offers a reminder she’s had to give herself more than once: “Even if your voice shakes, even if you whisper, you still have a voice. And it matters.” 

Creating community and hope 

Now enrolled in a clinical trial, Ashley is cautiously hopeful. She describes the side effects as manageable but like “intense morning sickness.” What’s harder is the uncertainty. “Every recurrence brings a new debate. Is it cancer? Inflammation? Infection? No one can agree.” 

Still, she shows up—for her kids, her peers, and herself. Most recently, she’s helped launch No Mutation Nation, a new community space for people whose lung cancer does not have a targetable mutation. “We’re the biggest group in lung cancer, but the most invisible. I wanted to create a place where we don’t have to feel like the sad exception.” 

When asked what advice she’d give someone newly diagnosed, Ashley doesn’t hesitate: “There’s so much hope. The statistics don’t reflect people like us, who are young and otherwise healthy. Connect with other people when you’re ready. Share if you want to. But most of all, advocate for yourself. And if you can’t, bring someone who will. You have a voice, and it’s an important one.”