Matt Ellefson and his family before a Livestrong biking event in May 2011. Photo courtesy of Matt Ellefson.
For lung cancer survivor Matt Ellefson, the Livestrong Austin Half Marathon is about more than crossing the finish line—it’s about proving that cancer isn’t a death sentence and encouraging others to continue living past their cure.
The half marathon on Feb. 19, 2012 willb be the capstone of Matt’s cancer journey, which took him from South Dakota to Texas and finally Colorado.
“When I was first diagnosed, I went looking for another survivor with a similar experience who was now living a normal, happy life, but I couldn’t find one,” says Matt. “They had all passed away. So I promised myself that when I was healthy I would be that person for someone else.”
Lacing up a pair of sneakers and running a half marathon is Matt’s first step in being that person for someone else. However, Matt’s journey to the starting line wasn’t a walk in the park.
A lingering cough, a shocking diagnosis
Matt’s journey started in December 2009 with a cough. He assumed it was caused by South Dakota’s cold winter air, but as the weeks went by his cough still lingered. Then came blood.
Scared and alarmed, Matt phoned his physician, but all appointments were booked until the following week. He was told not to worry.
The next morning another strong cough was followed by a “frightening” amount of blood. Matt again reached for the phone and dialed his physician’s number. This time his physician told him to head for the ER.
The emergency doctor’s visit resulted in a multiday hospital stay. The diagnosis: Stage 3B non-small cell lung cancer, and the prognosis wasn’t good. Without treatment he’d live eight months, at best. With treatment, his five-year survival rate was five percent.
Matt at his final chemo treatment in May 2010. Photo courtesy of Matt Ellefson.
“My wife and I were shocked because I wasn’t a smoker,” Matt says. “I was living a fit lifestyle—one that included going to the gym three times a week and regularly visiting my doctor for yearly physicals. It was hard for us to believe I had lung cancer.”
After the “moment of sadness and tears,” Matt and his wife realized they needed to educate themselves about the disease. They needed to “sort the good information from the bad,” as Matt says, and find a cancer center that could help. They landed at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
In Texas, Matt entered a clinical trial and underwent five months of treatment, often apart from his wife and five children. By summer of 2010, there was no sign of cancer in his lungs.
The good news only lasted a year. The cancer resurfaced in August 2011, and it had spread to his lymph nodes and chest. Treatment options were slim.
Slim chances but amazing results
While sitting in MD Anderson’s waiting room for follow-up testing, Matt decided to pass the time by reading online. He was struck by news released three days prior from the US Food and Drug Administration.
Xalkori, a new drug used to treat non-small cell lung cancer patients with an ALK mutation, was approved by the FDA. Patients in Xalkori clinical trials, also generically known as Crizotinib, were seeing their cancer disappear. Matt thought maybe this could be his answer, but only five percent of lung cancer patients carry the specific genetic mutation that Crizotinib exploits to kill cancer. The odds were still against him.
Matt had previously heard about a study that offered free gene mutation screenings for lung cancer patients as part of the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium. Since his LUNGevity Foundation mentee had already enrolled in the study at Massachusetts General Hospital, Matt decided to ask his physician if the MD Anderson study site was still enrolling. Turns out, the study was already closed.
He was then referred to the University of Colorado Cancer Center, the lead site for the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium. The center was still enrolling patients, and Matt was tested to see if the genetics of his cancer meshed with any new, targeted cures.
In October 2011, Matt’s results came back ALK-positive. He was among the five percent.
With positive news, Matt’s oncologist, Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, clinical director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at CU Cancer Center, immediately prescribed Xalkori.
Seven weeks later, a PET-scan showed no signs of cancer.
“I am a man of very strong faith and I believe this was God’s work,” says Matt. “God gave me a new lease on life so that I can help others face this disease head-on with the strength, faith and focus necessary to survive.”
Running cancer-free
Even though Matt was a runner before being diagnosed with cancer, he has never run a race longer than a 5k. The Livestrong Austin Half Marathon will be nearly four times that long – and could feel longer after treatment for lung cancer. But for Matt, it’s simply a way to help dispel the stigma that advanced lung cancer is a death sentence and also raise money for other patients’ care.
“I don’t really want to run the half marathon,” admits Matt, “but I really want to show other lung cancer patients that you can live a normal, happy life.”
For the past year, Matt has served as a Livestrong Leader in his community, raising awareness and educating others about the organization’s programs and services. He hopes to provide other patients the support he couldn’t find when he was newly diagnosed.
“Lung cancer is not a death sentence,” Matt says. “You can come out of it. You can move on. You can live a healthy and productive life.
“In fact, you can be healthy enough to complete a half marathon.”
