In two weeks my mother underwent a minimally invasive operation (VATS) to remove her lung tumor. She was discharged from a hospital to home 6 days later. I then had this follow-up message from the surgeon: “Tumor has been completely resected. It extended in the right lower lobe of her lung but we had an adequate margin. All [lymph] nodes were negative. All resection margins were negative. There is no need for chemotherapy or radiation, just surveillance imaging every 6 months for 2 years and yearly thereafter.” This was many years ago. My mother still leads an independent life, walks for miles, and continues to have a close and joyous relationship with her granddaughter.