Latest news with #BryantLin
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Stanford professor turns his terminal cancer diagnosis into a class
Dr. Bryant Lin thought his lingering cough was just allergies. Six weeks later, the Stanford University professor received devastating news: stage 4 lung cancer. The irony wasn't lost on Lin, who had spent years researching and teaching about non-smoker lung cancer. "I become the poster child for the disease," he said. Lin, who never smoked and wasn't exposed to secondhand smoke, represents a growing demographic. For Asians, the odds are higher. Asian women have twice the rate of non-smoker lung cancer than non-Asian women, according to Lin and recent studies. Rather than retreat from his diagnosis, the 50-year-old Lin made an unprecedented decision: He created a Stanford course centered around his cancer journey, giving medical students an unfiltered view of terminal illness from a patient's perspective. "I have stage four lung cancer, which is not curable," Lin told his class. "I will likely die of this cancer or something related to this cancer. It may be one year, it may be two years, it may be five years, I really don't know." The course aimed to rebalance medical education by showing students what patients truly experience. "Even though I knew what a patient goes through as a doctor, I didn't really know," Lin explained. By week three, Lin was documenting his chemotherapy treatments for students, sharing both physical symptoms and emotional struggles. "Feeling nauseous. Avoided the Chipotle today because of that," he told his class. Despite his terminal prognosis, Lin remains focused on living rather than preparing for death. His priorities center on family time with his wife, Christine, and their two sons, 17-year-old Dominic and 13-year-old Atticus. The family has been candid about Lin's diagnosis and prognosis. Lin has written letters to his sons for when he's no longer there, telling them: "Whether I'm here or not, I want you to know I love you. Of the many things I've done that have given my life meaning, being your daddy is the greatest of all." Lin's teaching philosophy extends beyond medical knowledge and also focuses on kindness and the power of hope. "It's easy to forget to be kind when you're sick," he said. "It's easy to forget to be kind when you're not feeling well, when you're busy, when life has got you down." The course opened with a letter from a former patient who wrote: "You treated me like you would treat your own father." The patient died two weeks after writing the letter. "He spent time writing a letter for me during his last hours, days of life," Lin said emotionally. "And in a way, this class is part of my letter, my way of giving back to my community." At the course's conclusion, Lin channeled Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech, telling his students: "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I know I had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for." David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive "CBS Mornings" series, "Beg-Knows America." Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@ The wonderfully weird world of artist Luigi Serafini Fans turn out for estate sale at home of Tom Petty Why the FBI is calling the Boulder mall attack a "targeted act of violence"
CBS News
6 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Stanford professor turns his terminal cancer diagnosis into a class on life, death and hope
Dr. Bryant Lin thought his lingering cough was just allergies. Six weeks later, the Stanford University professor received devastating news: stage 4 lung cancer. The irony wasn't lost on Lin, who had spent years researching and teaching about non-smoker lung cancer. "I become the poster child for the disease," he said. Lin, who never smoked and wasn't exposed to secondhand smoke, represents a growing demographic. For Asians, the odds are higher. Asian women have twice the rate of non-smoker lung cancer than non-Asian women, according to Lin and recent studies. Rather than retreat from his diagnosis, the 50-year-old Lin made an unprecedented decision: He created a Stanford course centered around his cancer journey, giving medical students an unfiltered view of terminal illness from a patient's perspective. "I have stage four lung cancer, which is not curable," Lin told his class. "I will likely die of this cancer or something related to this cancer. It may be one year, it may be two years, it may be five years, I really don't know." The course aimed to rebalance medical education by showing students what patients truly experience. "Even though I knew what a patient goes through as a doctor, I didn't really know," Lin explained. By week three, Lin was documenting his chemotherapy treatments for students, sharing both physical symptoms and emotional struggles. "Feeling nauseous. Avoided the Chipotle today because of that," he told his class. Despite his terminal prognosis, Lin remains focused on living rather than preparing for death. His priorities center on family time with his wife, Christine, and their two sons, 17-year-old Dominic and 13-year-old Atticus. The family has been candid about Lin's diagnosis and prognosis. Lin has written letters to his sons for when he's no longer there, telling them: "Whether I'm here or not, I want you to know I love you. Of the many things I've done that have given my life meaning, being your daddy is the greatest of all." Lin's teaching philosophy extends beyond medical knowledge and also focuses on kindness and the power of hope. "It's easy to forget to be kind when you're sick," he said. "It's easy to forget to be kind when you're not feeling well, when you're busy, when life has got you down." The course opened with a letter from a former patient who wrote: "You treated me like you would treat your own father." The patient died two weeks after writing the letter. "He spent time writing a letter for me during his last hours, days of life," Lin said emotionally. "And in a way, this class is part of my letter, my way of giving back to my community." At the course's conclusion, Lin channeled Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech, telling his students: "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I know I had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for." David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive "CBS Mornings" series, "Beg-Knows America." Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@
CBS News
14-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Terminally ill Stanford professor teaches class about dying from cancer
A Stanford University professor's new curriculum explores the multiple aspects and phases of a person dying of cancer, and it comes from a person with first-hand knowledge. Dr. Bryant Lin has been a professor for almost two decades. He's used to being the teacher, not the subject of his classes. But that all changed in 2024 when he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. "I ended up having stage four, which is the most advanced stage of lung cancer. Which is not considered curable at all," explained Lin. "So, I am going to die from this." The diagnosis was a dose of cruel irony. Lin co-founded the Center for Asian Health Research and Education. One of the priorities for the foundation is researching non-small cell adenocarcinoma, also known as "never-smoker lung cancer," the same cancer diagnosis that Lin received. "Lung cancer in people who have never smoked ... disproportionately affects Asians and particularly Asian women," said Lin. "I have become the poster child for this disease." Within weeks, Lin was in a chemotherapy infusion chair receiving the same treatment as his patients. It was here that he saw an opportunity. "How can I make lemonade from lemons?" said Lin. "When I was a student, if I heard of a class that was taught by somebody who's both a physician and a patient, it would have so much changed my perspective." The class is called "From diagnosis to dialogue: A doctor's real-time battle with cancer." Within minutes of being posted, the class and the waitlist were full. "It was really surprising: our first session, we kind of violated probably some fire codes by having too many students show up," recalled Lin. "What really stood out to me was like from the first class he very openly, very upfront said that this is a terminal diagnosis and that he might not die in the next month or two months, or he may live for another couple of years, but that he almost certainly will die from this," said Isabella Heferman. one of the lucky students to get a seat. "I was just really in awe in how well he's able to discuss this and just the bravery, but also the emotions he brings in." The 10-week course covers the entire spectrum of cancer as seen through the eyes of someone who is living it. "I really wanted to share that personal experience of what it's like to suffer from side effects from chemotherapy, to talk about nutrition with my wife, what do i eat, to spiritual care," explained Lin. Each week has a new topic and a new guest lecturer, like Lin's oncologist, Dr. Heather Wakelee. She believes Lin's course is providing a unique lesson to the next generation of physicians. "In medical school, we learn a lot about the pathophysiology, like, you know, the disease itself, all of the details, the molecules ... we also learn about the interactions with people. But sometimes connecting the two can be a little harder to see," explained Wakelee. Lin's wife, Christine Chan, has also been a guest lecturer for the class, sharing her perspective about living and loving someone with an incurable disease. "What's happening today is something that you have control and don't read too much actually about the statistics or outcome of what is happening to other people," said Chan. Lin plans to teach his class for as long as he can, but acknowledges the syllabus, like his cancer journey, may change. But he stands firm in his belief about the importance of his mission: Physicians with a better perspective about what their patients are going through will be better doctors. "This is going to impact somebody you know, somebody you know closely, maybe yourself," said Lin. "I want them at an early age when they are young and healthy ... they're seemingly invincible, to really get a sense of what people go through as they deal with a very serious illness." Stanford University recorded every session of the class so that they could live on for future physicians. If you would like to watch them, they can be found on YouTube.
