When Maureen O’Grady was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2009, doctors at her local hospital told her she had 12-14 months to live. #CIM15 #PatientStories

Not satisfied with that prognosis, she sought out a second opinion at Yale’s Smilow Cancer Center. Her new doctor, Scott Gettinger, M.D., recommended she participate in a clinical trial of an immunotherapy drug called nivolumab (Opdivo®). Opdivo belongs to a class of immunotherapies called checkpoint inhibitors. By “taking the brakes off” the immune system, checkpoint inhibitors enable a stronger attack against cancer.

More than 5 years later, Maureen is still alive and enjoying life's milestone moments with the people she loves the most--her family. http://www.cancerresearch.org/patients

This video is presented as part of the Cancer Research Institute 3rd Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month awareness campaign this June 2015. Help us raise awareness of the lifesaving potential of immunotherapy for all types of cancer. Let's fuel the next scientific discoveries and breakthrough treatments through learning, engagement, and storytelling. http://www.cancerresearch.org/june

Established in 1953, the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to harnessing our immune system’s power to control and potentially cure all cancers. Our mission: Save more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. To accomplish this, we rely on donor support and collaborative partnerships to fund and carry out the most innovative clinical and laboratory research around the world, support the next generation of the field’s leaders, and serve as the trusted source of information on immunotherapy for cancer patients and their caregivers. https://www.cancerresearch.org