Cedar Hills mom receiving double lung transplant after other cancer treatments fail

Key Points:

• Kelsey Flake, a Utah mom with Stage 4 lung cancer contained to her lungs, has moved to Chicago with her husband to receive a rare double lung transplant at Northwestern Medicine, the only U.S. center performing this procedure for cancer patients.
• The transplant, approved by her insurance despite being out-of-network, is considered a last-resort treatment when other therapies fail and the cancer has not spread beyond the lungs; Flake's surgery will be conducted in two stages with a hopeful quick transplant waiting period.
• Flake's five children are currently staying with grandparents in Utah and communicate with her via nightly Zoom calls, with plans to reunite in Chicago by Christmas until the family returns home next summer.
• The family has received substantial community support, including help with household tasks, transportation for the children, and financial assistance through a GoFundMe campaign to manage expenses during treatment.
• Flake's cancer is linked to a hereditary gene variant found in several family members, highlighting the importance of awareness and early cancer screening for persistent lung symptoms, especially as lung cancer appears to be affecting younger patients more frequently.