CINCINNATI — Ohio native Dean Griffith, 78, said he’s always been health conscious. But all of a sudden, he got a shocking scare.

What You Need To Know

  • November marks National Lung Cancer Awareness Month

  • Dean Griffith is a lung cancer survivor who received care at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati

  • The American Cancer Society estimates more than 234,000 new cases of lung cancer in 2024 

“I started coughing, and I felt like my lungs were going to come out. I coughed so hard and so much. I decided right there that I was done with this,” he said. 

He was an avid smoker for 30 years. He stopped and started getting regular screenings at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. A CT scan of his lungs would detect something unusual. Later, a biopsy report determined he had lung cancer. 

“When I found out I had lung cancer, that was something I'd been preparing myself for years because my mother told me that cigarettes would kill you," Griffith said. 

Lung cancer is a disease that forms in the lung tissue, growing abnormally and can form tumors. It’s the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., accounting for 1-in-5 of all cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. 

“When they found it and how small it was, and then when I read the biopsy reports from the lab and so on, I was told that this was workable. This is something we can deal with,” Griffith said. 

November marks National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society estimates more than 234,000 new cases of lung cancer in 2024. 

The Christ Hospital Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Julian Guitron said that thanks to advancements in technology over the years, including the use of robotics for surgery, they're able to lead with the intent of curing. 

“He flew through a major operation. He got a fantastic pathology report that basically showed us that he was stage 1, which is the bottom line of what you want to hear when it's about cancer. His recovery has been fantastic,” Guitron said.  

It's a multidisciplinary approach, as Nurse Practitioner Ashley Campbell said the number of new lung cancer diagnoses is on the decline thanks to routine screenings, but not enough people are taking heed. 

“When we do compare it to mammography and colonoscopy, we are only reaching about 6% of people who actually qualify for these lung screenings,” she said.  

This wasn't Griffith’s only fight against cancer, as he also beat prostate cancer. The former army chaplain and nonprofit leader has now added survivor and advocate to his list of titles, hoping to inspire and save lives in the process. 

 “I think all you have to do is get the dickens scared out of you once, and you'll begin to pay attention. I don't recommend that to anyone. Do it first,” Griffith said.  

Research shows that 70% of lung cancer is diagnosed at a nonresectable stage, meaning surgery is not an option. 

 “I look at it now and say this saved my life because I was paying attention,” Lung Cancer Survivor Dean Griffith said.  

The Christ Hospital advises any patient between the ages of 50-77 who is a current or former smoker to get lung screenings done once a year. 

Correction: The previous version of this story misspelled Ashley Campbell's name. This error has been corrected. (Nov. 20, 2024)