Bam Bam Gives Thanks
- Alaskan Bush People‘s Joshua (‘Bam Bam’) recently thanked fans publicly for their support after his father Billy Brown’s passing, and his mother’s lung cancer battle.
- His mom, Ami Brown, was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer in 2017, and today she is a cancer survivor.
- Former and current heavy smokers should screen for lung cancer because they are at risk of getting this disease.
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Bam Bam continues, “Da never cared about money or fame. What he did care about was family, faith and freedom. Da once said that if our show made just one person smile, and brought light into just one persons' life, even for just a moment, then it was worth all of it. To all the honorary members of The Wolf Pack, Thank you. Thank you for being a part of our family, and letting us be a part of yours. Thank you for your prayers, support and the love you have all shown for my family. Never give up. Never surrender.”
In a September advertisement for the season of the family’s show, mom Ami Brown recounts her husband’s last words before passing. Heartfelt and simple, he said to Ami before passing: “I love you.”
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Bam Bam’s family has seen its fair share of health scares before. His mom, Ami Brown, is a lung cancer survivor.
Ami’s Lung Cancer Battle
Ami Brown was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer in 2017, which led to the entire family moving from rural Alaska to a large property in Washington so she could be closer to medical care. Ami tells People magazine of her health ordeal, "It was very scary. But I never gave up hope."
Related: Surgical Options for Lung Cancer
Confirming Brown’s diagnosis, her oncologist, Dr. Deborah Wong, released a statement to People stating that "Amora Brown was diagnosed with Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (cancer cells that form in the tissues of the lungs) in April 2017. Treatment for her cancer included a four-month course of chemotherapy with radiation. Her disease responded well to the treatment and she is now in remission."
There are two main types of lung cancer, and the type a person is diagnosed with will impact their treatment plan. The two types of lung cancer are:
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type and makes up about 85% of cases.
- Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is less common, but it tends to grow faster than NSCLC and is treated very differently.
Preparing for Lung Cancer Surgery
Screening for Lung Cancer
Former and current heavy smokers should screen for lung cancer because they are at risk of getting this disease.
According to current recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released this spring, people at a high risk of lung cancer (i.e. current and former smokers) should receive free annual screenings with a low-dose CT scan starting at age 50, whether or not they have symptoms of the disease.
Lung cancer symptoms include:
- A persistent cough that doesn't go away after 2 or 3 weeks.
- A cough that gets worse.
- Recurring chest infections.
- Coughing up blood.
- Pain when breathing or coughing.
- Breathlessness.
- Fatigue.
Former & Current Heavy Smokers Should Get Lung Cancer Screenings Using CT Scan, Says Leading Expert
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