UCSF Children's Hospital | Elizabeth Ford

Next fall, Elizabeth "Lizzi" Ford, a 17-year-old Pleasanton high school senior, hopes to study elementary education in college. But back in the spring of 2004, while on a road trip scouting potential colleges with her mom, she received a phone call that threatened her future.

It was Lizzi's doctor calling to tell her she had a rare cancerous lung tumor.

"When I found out I was so scared and didn't know whether or not I'd live," says Lizzi. "You always think it's never going to happen to you, but when it does it hits you like a thousand bullets."

A competitive soccer and basketball player, Lizzi had trouble breathing when she played sports and developed pneumonia for five consecutive years. But despite her serious respiratory problems, doctors never discovered her tumor. She received a laundry list of diagnoses, ranging from asthma to viral and bacterial infections to vocal cord dysfunction and psychosomatic conditions.

"She was the perfect picture of health," says her mom Ruth. "I think part of the problem we couldn't get a diagnosis was because she looked so healthy and was so physically active in sports, but the disease was in there hiding somewhere and taking over."

During her sophomore year in high school, Lizzi's breathing became increasingly labored. When she took a deep breath it sounded as if she was breathing through a respirator. Her family lovingly gave her the nickname, "Darth Vader." And when Lizzi came down with yet another bout of pneumonia and her right lung's middle lobe collapsed, her parents became increasingly concerned.

"Breathing became more and more difficult for Liz and we knew we needed to look for more answers," says Ruth. "I just thank God that we persisted. Had we waited another year to get a diagnosis, she wouldn't be here right now."

Lizzi visited a pulmonary specialist in Pleasanton where she was finally diagnosed with an airway blockage. She was then referred to Dr. John McQuitty, a pulmonary specialist at UCSF Medical Center in January 2004.

Although Lizzi had previously visited numerous doctors, McQuitty insisted on starting from scratch and conducting a wide range of diagnostic tests to determine the exact cause of the blockage. A CAT scan detected a large, rare tumor in her right lung that was obstructing her right middle and lower lobes. Surgery to remove the tumor was scheduled immediately, but before proceeding, the Fords wanted to interview surgeons themselves to ensure the best possible care for their daughter.

Dr. David Jablons, chief of thoracic Surgery at UCSF Medical Center and program leader of the Thoracic Oncology Program of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center won the Fords over with his confidence, positive attitude and reputation as an expert surgeon.

"Dr. Jablons was very upbeat about Lizzi's situation and said the surgery, which we knew was very difficult, was something he could do," says Ruth. "He gave us hope."

Because Lizzi's tumor was so rare and its location was difficult to access, the procedure to remove the tumor is challenging and uncommon. Jablons is one of the few specialists in the Bay Area who specializes in performing this type of surgery.

"The kind of procedure Lizzi required was complex, but we perform them regularly so were confident that we could successfully remove the tumor," says Jablons. "We did this while preserving as much of Lizzi's normal lung function as possible, which is especially important for a young person."

Lizzi underwent surgery in June 2004. During the procedure, Jablons removed Lizzi's tumor, part of her right lung and surrounding lymph nodes. He also removed dense adhesions caused by Lizzi's previous respiratory illnesses with a technique called electrocautery to prevent future problems.

Following surgery, Lizzi spent two weeks recovering on the pediatric oncology floor at UCSF's Children's Hospital. "The experience was unbelievable and indescribable," remembers Lizzi. "The nurses gave me excellent care; they were all so kind and compassionate. There was never anything I needed or asked for that didn't come quickly."

Although Lizzi describes her current state of health as "excellent," some of the muscles around her right shoulder blade were cut and a piece of her rib had to be removed during surgery. This has affected the strength in her arm, limiting her ability to play basketball. However, this hasn't stopped Lizzi from playing the positions of left, right and center forward for the Pleasanton Rage soccer team. And just five months after her surgery, she made her high school's junior varsity soccer team.

Lizzi says that enduring such a traumatic experience at a young age has definitely matured her a great deal and deepened her appreciation for life. When asked her advice for other people facing a similar situation she advises, "Think positive, research your care yourself and go see Dr. Jablons!"