The Mountains Ahead: Nathan’s Fight Against Stage IV NSCLC

Hello to our beautiful family, friends and supporters,

On October 31, 2023, our world changed in an instant. Nathan, my husband, was diagnosed with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with an EGFR mutation—a form of cancer that had already spread throughout his body. It was discovered after a life-threatening pericardial effusion (fluid around his heart) revealed the presence of cancer cells. As many of you know, Nathan is a 23-year Army veteran and was just a few months shy of retiring from the military when we received the news of his diagnosis. Needless to say, it was categorically the worst news we could have received at a time that still feels unfair and cruel.

The news was shocking and unexpected, especially for someone like Nathan—an active, healthy man with no history of smoking and a deep love for the outdoors, playing guitar, our dogs, and the simple joys of life. Having just married in September of 2022, we were devastated by his diagnosis, but we made a vow to face every peak and valley this illness presents—together. We are truly living "in sickness and in health" and I will forever feel honored to walk through this journey with him.

Since then, we’ve been in the trenches of treatment and uncertainty. Nathan began with Tagrisso, a targeted therapy pill, followed by several rounds of chemotherapy (carboplatin and pemetrexed). Most recently, he started a new combination of Amivantamab and Lazertinib—a cutting-edge treatment requiring him to start with a two-day infusion protocol and ongoing monitoring. While cutting edge, these medications present challenges in many aspects, requiring consistent check ins with his care team and a revolving door of medications to help with intense side effects. At the moment, he is slated to continue with weekly, rigorous infusions with the hope of graduating to a schedule of every few weeks. This new regimen represents our continued fight for more time, more healing, and more hope.

In December 2024, Nathan experienced a sudden and significant increase in pain. After further testing, we received heartbreaking news—his cancer had progressed in a rare way, into the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen), something that occurs in fewer than 1% of lung cancer cases. It brought us back to a dark and uncertain place, but we remain hopeful and committed to exploring every option, including potential travel to other cancer centers for clinical trials.

Nathan has an incredible understanding of his needs and advocates fiercely for himself while still remaining kind, funny and soft spoken. If you know him, you know how incredibly smart he is and in turn, we've been able to work with his care teams to navigate his diagnosis with a feeling of "control" and trust. We’ve been fortunate to connect with exceptional care teams throughout his journey—at Brooke Army Medical Center, Grand Valley Oncology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, and MD Anderson in Houston.

We’ve hesitated for a long time to ask for help or imply that help is needed. We have great insurance and have done our best to manage on our own, with some much-appreciated support from family when needed. But we also know that many people care deeply about Nathan and have asked how they can support us—so we are opening this space with humility and gratitude.

Any support received will go directly toward:

All funds will be placed into a separate account, used only as needed for Nathan’s care. We want to be clear: we do not expect donations, and simply sharing this page or sending love means the world to us. At our core, we know that we can never thank our loved ones enough for the support, kind words, thoughts, etc., but it is my promise that I will always try to communicate how much it means to us and our families.

We are humbled, hopeful, and so deeply thankful for your support—whether it’s a message, a prayer/thought, a warm meal, or financial help. Your collective energy has brought us through some of the hardest moments, and we are endlessly grateful that you continue to walk alongside us.

Onward and upward. All in good time.

With love, light, and gratitude,

Nathaniel & Hannah Hagen