Volunteer Spotlight: Jung A Han

Role:

ACT Lead

Home State:

Massachusetts

Years volunteering:

2 years

1. What is your role with ACS CAN and how long have you been a volunteers with us? I am a Massachusetts District 6 ACT Lead volunteer and I have been with ACS CAN since 2023.
    
2. Why do you volunteer with ACS CAN? I volunteer for selfish reasons. When I was diagnosed with cancer, it was a life changing experience. I don’t know if everyone experiences the same but I for one wanted to change my life around and put purpose behind my days. I decided to leave behind a corporate 50+ hours per week job and repurpose my life. Besides changing my daily habits to improve my metabolic health, I was looking to reduce stress and figure out what the second part of my life was going to look like. I have been given this second chance at life and I wanted to give back to the community the grace that so many doctors, nurses and researchers have given me. I was definitely feeling lost. Then I found ACS CAN. Massachusetts initiated the Access to Biomarker bill the same month I joined. It seemed like a match made in heaven. Since then, my story and this work have uplifted my spirits and focused my energy to help cancer patients and their families. This is a synergistic relationship. My stories help those affected by cancer and ACS CAN gives me the opportunity to heal my soul. For the first time in a long while, I feel a sense of agency. It brings me great joy to know that I can help others with my stories, and I am grateful to ACS CAN for allowing my voice to be heard.
    
3.  You recently took part in a Congressional Briefing- could you tell me about that experience and why it was important to you to share yours and your family's story? As a Korean American, each time I went to my oncologist, I could not help but think about my parents. Cancer is hard on everyone, but it is especially hard for immigrants who came from a war-torn country like them. I have seen my parents and the Korean community living in its own bubble in America. They are stuck in Confucius beliefs, and they often have limited connection to resources outside of their community. Their primary focus is on the basic necessities of survival and work. Being an immigrant with cultural and language barriers gives them a disadvantage from the start. This is not a choice but a fact. As future generations barrel through life at high speed, the seniors are often left behind to fend for themselves. Then when I heard that increasingly younger Asian females are being diagnosed with lung cancer, I was shocked. This may impact my daughter and my grandchildren. I wanted to speak up for the future generation of marginalized communities like ours, so we don’t get left behind. I want to do my part to help others to understand this disparity in hopes to bring better experiences to others like me. Cancer research is vital in finding a cure for this terrible disease. In the meantime, I will continue to tell my story so that our voices can be heard.
    
4. You have been a story teller as part of the Massachusetts biomarker campaign. Can you tell me more about they different ways you've been telling your story and why you're advocating more for other patients to have the same care you did. I am a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with Stage 3 metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after a delayed diagnosis due to the pandemic. Biomarker testing revealed an ALK mutation, which changed my treatment from standard chemotherapy or immunotherapy to an FDA-approved oral medication that specifically targeted my cancer, allowing me to maintain a high quality of life during treatments. This resulted in nearly 50% reduction of my tumors without major interruptions in my daily routines. Despite its success, my insurance refused to cover the simple blood tests. I was lucky to have been treated at a leading cancer research institute, and they helped me navigate this problem without the insurance burden. My experience fuels my advocacy for expanded access to biomarker testing, as I have seen the life-saving potential of this research and want to ensure better treatment options for all patients. Not everyone can tell the same story and that is an injustice.
   
   I have told my story on many platforms; in video recording, testified at the hearing with the Joint Committee on Financial Services at MA State House, at an ACS CAN Research & Health Equity Breakfast, at a local Biotech company, at the MA State Lobby Day, and directly to several legislators both at the state and federal levels. 
    
5. Please share anything else about your experience with ACS CAN or a cancer advocate that you'd like me to know. Speaking out and sharing my vulnerability is scary all the time. I was always taught to stay quiet and follow along. Don’t be disruptive, stay low key and glide through life. I am an introvert, and I am not comfortable with the spotlight. The stigma of having lung cancer points blame to the patient. This makes it even more difficult to speak up. I want to break that stigma. It is not my fault I have lung cancer. Each additional speaking moment, I get better at refining my skills. It still scares me but I am getting better each step of the way. It is rewarding to tackle my demon straight on and come out triumphant. Everyone at ACS CAN has been so supportive and complimentary that I couldn’t have come this far without them.