Phuong Gallagher

Phuong was diagnosed with rectal cancer when she was only 29 years old. For years she thought she was the only one her age to be diagnosed with this disease. That all changed when she found others like her online. Through this community, Phuong learned about her disease and learned that not only could she ask her doctors questions, she should! This profoundly changed her relationships with her doctors and resulted in more personalized care.

Phuong's experiences have led her to become a national advocate over her 17-years as a stage IV survivor to support and educate others in the patient and caregiver communities. Her advocacy has brought her to participate in the White House's Colorectal Cancer Moonshot Forum, to be spotlighted as an ASCO Voices speaker, and to continue working as a research advocate with a focus on studies involving DEI, early age onset, and the inclusion of patient voices in research. Phuong has co-authored over a dozen papers in the United States and internationally, adding a much needed patient voice to the research.

Click here to read all of Phuong's articles on SocialHealthNetwork.com.