By Milton Kirby | Birmingham, AL | July 4, 2026
When Francina Morales rang the celebration bell at Birmingham’s Kirkland Clinic, the sound marked more than the end of her final chemotherapy treatment. It celebrated another milestone in an ongoing fight against lung cancer and offered hope to others facing the same uncertain road.
Surrounded by members of her medical team, family and friends, Morales celebrated completing chemotherapy just four months after surgeons removed most of her right lung because of lung cancer. While her treatment journey continues with twelve months of immunotherapy, she chose to share her experience publicly to encourage others to recognize symptoms early, seek medical attention and never lose hope.
“This is me at Kirkland Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, ringing the Celebration Bell,” Morales said in a video shared following her final chemotherapy treatment. “I just finished my last round of chemo, and it is cause for celebration.”
Her story reflects the message organizers hope will resonate throughout Lung Cancer Screening to Treatment 2.0: A Community Conversation on Lung Cancer, a free educational forum scheduled for Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at The Purpose Center at Dannon, 2324 Fifth Avenue North in Birmingham.
Hosted by HEAL Collaborative in partnership with Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and supported by Amgen, the event will bring together physicians, researchers, patients, caregivers and community advocates to discuss lung cancer screening, advances in treatment and resources available to families throughout Alabama.
A Diagnosis She Never Expected
Morales says one of the biggest misconceptions about lung cancer is that it only affects smokers.
She never smoked.
Yet she found herself confronting a diagnosis that required major surgery, chemotherapy and ongoing immunotherapy.
Before doctors discovered the cancer, Morales experienced several symptoms that she now encourages others not to ignore, including extreme shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, pain in her leg, loss of appetite and pain in her side.
“I was never a smoker,” she said. “I am sharing this now to encourage smokers to stop smoking because your odds are greater than a non-smoker like me. Believe me. You do not want this.”
Her experience reinforces one of the central messages physicians and patient advocates have emphasized throughout HEAL Collaborative’s educational campaign: anyone with lungs can develop lung cancer.
Although smoking remains the leading risk factor, doctors say lung cancer can also occur in people who have never smoked, making awareness of symptoms and appropriate screening critically important.
Turning Experience Into Education
Howard Mosby, chief operating officer of HEAL Collaborative, said community conversations like the July 18 forum are designed to connect medical expertise with the real-life experiences of patients and families.
“Far too many lives are lost because lung cancer is diagnosed too late,” Mosby said. “This community conversation is about bringing trusted experts and lived experiences together to help people understand their risk, navigate available resources and ultimately save lives.”
Throughout the morning, nationally recognized physicians, researchers and patient advocates will discuss lung cancer screening, biomarker testing, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, mental health, veterans’ lung health and financial resources available to patients and families.
Organizers hope participants leave with practical information, greater confidence and a better understanding of how early detection and informed decision-making can improve outcomes.
Finding Strength in the Journey
Morales acknowledges that cancer affects far more than the body.
“It is the master of stress, anxiety and depression,” she said. “Knowing that there is something inside your body trying to kill you.”
Even so, her message remains one of gratitude and hope.
She thanked God for guiding her surgeons through a successful operation and expressed appreciation for the healthcare professionals, friends and family members who have supported her throughout treatment, including her son, Rev. Joseph Bryant, her sister Carolyn Bailey-Fain, cousin Willie Fedrick, Cynthia Davis-Lockhart and Dorothy Baxter.
As she begins immunotherapy, Morales hopes others will listen carefully when their bodies signal that something may be wrong.
“Early detection can make all the difference,” she said.
Stories That Save Lives
Rev. Joseph Bryant, Morales’ son and one of the community leaders participating in the July 18 forum, believes personal experiences often reach people more deeply than statistics alone.
“You can talk about clinical facts all day, but nothing reaches people like hearing from those who’ve actually lived through cancer and found a way to overcome it,” Bryant said. “Seeing real people who’ve been touched by cancer and are still living their lives to the fullest is the strongest message we can give the community.”
For Morales, ringing the celebration bell marked the completion of one important chapter.
The next chapter has already begun.
She hopes her experience encourages others to pay attention to their health, seek medical care when symptoms appear and remember that a diagnosis is not the end of the story.
The July 18 Community Conversation on Lung Cancer is free and open to the public. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and lunch will be provided. Organizers encourage residents, caregivers and families to attend, ask questions and learn more about the resources available to help prevent, detect and treat lung cancer.
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