Yovana Maria Portillo lives in Phoenix, Arizona. In April 2016, she was a passenger in a car accident that led to an incidental discovery of a tumor on her left lung. In July 2016, she was diagnosed with NSCLC and a Mucinous Adenocarcinoma Stage IB tumor for which she underwent a lower left lobe lobectomy the same month. She lives her life as normal as can be by remaining active in her nieces, nephews, and godchildren’s lives. She also continues to do all the activities she did prior to her diagnosis, including but are not limited to hiking, practicing yoga and running, though from time to time she might require practicing or participating in these activities at a modified version or pace after her diagnosis and surgery. She hopes to change the perception of who a lung cancer patient is and what a lung cancer survivor looks like. She uses her spare time and her story to advocate at both the local and national levels in an effort to not only raise awareness but to also increase funding for further lung cancer research. Yovana has made it her life’s goal to change the lifespan of all lung cancer patients. She has collaborated with LUNGevity in multiple facets previously and continues her advocacy work with LUNGevity and many other lung cancer organizations to further this cause.
How did you first get involved with LUNGevity as a lung cancer advocate?
In October 2016, I participated in my first Breathe Deep event with LUNGevity in Tempe, Arizona. In 2017, I helped as a co-coordinator for the same event. I then went on to attend my first LUNGevity HOPE Summit in April 2018 and became a Social Media Ambassador shortly thereafter. I also joined Team LUNGevity and participated in the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2018. In a collaboration with LUNGevity, the state of Arizona issued a Proclamation, proclaiming November 2019 as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. In November 2019, LUNGevity was featured as part of The Ricky Rubio Foundation’s “One Month One Cause” for the November Lung Cancer Awareness Month segment of a Phoenix Suns game in a collaboration with the Phoenix Suns and The Ricky Rubio Foundation.
What is the most rewarding thing you get out of being an advocate?
The most rewarding thing I get out of being an advocate is the connections I make with other lung cancer survivors/caregivers and other advocates too. Knowing that I am not the only one actively working for the lung cancer community gives me hope that in the future there will be more survivors like myself. I have hope that in a future not so distant and within my lifetime, lung cancer will be treated as a chronic illness and not as a death sentence. I also have hope that in response my advocacy efforts to increase lung cancer awareness and to eliminate the stigma associated with this diagnosis, there will be an increase in lung cancer research funding to help change the outcome of anyone diagnosed with this disease in the future.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to get involved in advocacy?
If you are thinking about getting involved in advocacy, then you are ready. Get out there and look for the right opportunity for you. Your advocacy might look and feel different than mine and that is quite all right, do what feels right for you. We all have different gifts and talents; make sure you use yours to your advantage. If you are not ready at the moment, there will come a time when it is the right time for you too. And you, only you, will know when you are ready. At that time, go ahead and share your story.
The beauty of advocacy is that you have a story as to your why, as in why are you in advocacy? No one knows your story better than you do. No one can question your thoughts, your feelings, or your actions because at the end of the day, it is your story.
When you are ready to talk about it and share it with others, the connections and impact you make will be endless. Although you might think you will have only a small impact, you really never know the small impact your story might have on others. And those small ripple effects that you will create will be felt regardless of what you choose to share or what area of advocacy you decide is the best fit for you.
I look forward to crossing paths with you, all my fellow advocates, someday.
Interested in learning more about lung cancer advocacy? We have the tools to help you get started. Join the LUNGevity Action Network to take real steps towards improving lives and outcomes for people with lung cancer.
LUNGevity Spotlight is a way to highlight people living with lung cancer, caregivers, volunteers, and fundraisers who are making a positive impact in the LUNGevity community. We hope that their stories will inspire and encourage many more to get involved.
If you know someone in the LUNGevity community whom you'd like us to Spotlight, please nominate them here.