Patient Perspectives: After a lung cancer diagnosis, turning to art and medical research

One of the most important results of the work we do at Antidote is directly impacting the lives of patients — and getting to hear their stories is a constant reminder of why we do what we do.

One of these stories comes from Nina Beaty, a New York-based art therapist who was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer. This is one of two major types of lung cancer that usually results in patients receiving three to six months to live. Despite undergoing multiple rounds of radiation, Nina’s prognosis didn’t improve — which led her and her medical team to explore options for clinical trials.

She ultimately enrolled in an immunotherapy trial to explore a new type of small-cell lung cancer treatment. We were able to hear her story while the study was underway, and she inspired us all with her outlook (and her artwork). Watch the video below to learn more about her journey:

Since discovering that the research study was successful, Nina has continued her work advocating for lung cancer screening, clinical trials, and more. She has also launched the EmPat project, where she channels her artistic talent into hand-drawn gifs that communicate the reality of going through cancer treatment.

You can learn more about this and keep up with Nina through her website. If you’re interested in exploring clinical trial participation and want to learn more, you can get started with the link below: