From Event Planner to Lung Cancer Advocate: How Terri Ann DiJulio Found Her Calling

Terri Ann DiJulio has dedicated her life to championing a cause that found her in the most unexpected way. The 63-year-old Philadelphia resident, once a busy event planner, now spends her days advocating for lung cancer awareness, a disease she knows all too well. Through years of battling the illness and witnessing its impact on her family, DiJulio discovered a powerful purpose: spreading awareness and challenging misconceptions about lung cancer.

“I’m Still Here for a Reason.”

DiJulio recalls her initial diagnosis with a mix of disbelief and determination. It was in 2003, when she was 42, and experiencing chest pressure that led her to the emergency room.

“I thought it was something with my heart,” she said, explaining that her doctor recommended immediate inpatient observation.

What doctors found instead was a small nodule on her lung. Although it was benign at the time, DiJulio’s health journey had only just begun. Two years later, the nodule transformed into something far more sinister.

“When I woke up from surgery and found out that I had lung cancer, it was shocking,” she said. “It took me a while to adjust to it emotionally. It was scary.”

Doctors removed the lower right lobe of her lung, and the rehabilitation was grueling.

“It wasn’t an easy thing 19 years ago—hospital, seven days and lots of rehab,” she recalled.

But from that struggle emerged a new purpose.

“I’m just doing what I’m called to do,” she said. “I found a calling through this disease. And I’m still here for a reason.”

Fighting a Widespread Misconception

DiJulio’s experience opened her eyes to the misunderstandings surrounding lung cancer. One of the most pervasive myths is that only smokers are at risk.

“Prevention has been drilled into us: If you don’t smoke, you won’t get lung cancer,” she said. “Well, that’s not true—anybody with lungs can get lung cancer, and no one deserves it.”

According to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, more people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer globally. While smoking remains the leading cause, nearly 20% of lung cancer diagnoses occur in individuals who have never used tobacco. Radon, pollution, and secondhand smoke can also cause lung cancer. But DiJulio notes that the stigma around lung cancer is real.

“If you get lung cancer, people believe you caused it,” she said. “I personally believe the stigma has gotten in the way of funding.”

A Family’s Battle

The disease continued to haunt DiJulio’s family in heartbreaking ways. Not long after her initial diagnosis, five of her relatives were also diagnosed with lung cancer.

“My mother passed away five years almost to the day from the time she was diagnosed,” she said. “Then we found out her sister had lung cancer, her brother had lung cancer, and then another uncle was diagnosed.”

DiJulio’s own cancer returned as well. By then, she had already endured multiple surgeries, and her options were limited.

“Now, the only surgical option was to remove the rest of my right lung because of where the tumor was located,” she said.

With advancements in medical technology, however, she opted for radiation therapy instead.

“Third day of treatment, I went on a 20-mile bike ride,” she noted, underscoring her resilience.

A Natural Advocate

Her journey through illness inspired her to help others navigate the same path. DiJulio began speaking at lung cancer conferences, lobbying for more research funding, and reviewing scientific grant proposals. Her work brought her into contact with other passionate advocates, like Heidi Knafman-Onda, a stage 3 lung cancer survivor and co-founder of the White Ribbon Project alongside her husband, Pierre.

“I met Terri Ann through advocacy and she was a very strong voice,” Knafman-Onda said. “It felt like meeting a long-lost sister.”

Knafman-Onda said DiJulio traveled to Colorado to help spread awareness about lung cancer by building white wooden ribbons for lung cancer survivors and caregivers.

“She’s a good soul because she’s so giving,” Knafman-Onda said. “It’s natural…it’s like second nature for her to become involved.”

Pedaling for a Cause

DiJulio’s advocacy work also connects her with organizations like Ride Hard, Breathe Easy, a nonprofit founded by John Matthews. Matthews, who started the charity in honor of his late mother, organizes cross-country cycling events to raise funds for lung cancer patients. DiJulio, an avid cyclist herself, has joined Matthews on several rides.

“She’s helped us raise donations and support us with her presence,” Matthews said. “Whether it’s a 100-mile ride in a day or 300 miles over several days, she does it with such happiness, optimism, and conviction.”

In 2023, DiJulio helped raise $30,000 of the $70,000 total funding raised during an event for Ride Hard, Breathe Easy. The money goes toward supporting lung cancer patients with medical bills, living expenses, and wigs for those undergoing treatment.

Living Life to the Fullest

For DiJulio, each diagnosis has served as a reminder to live boldly.

“I used to think I lived the biggest life I could live and stayed in the moment,” she reflected. “Then at every diagnosis, at every illness, I was able to live bigger.”

After her third diagnosis, she shut down her event planning business to dedicate herself fully to advocacy.

“I take a lot more risks. I follow my intuition,” she said. “I am 63 years old, and I just live the heck out of every minute I’m given.”

Her message to others facing lung cancer is simple but powerful: “I encourage people to be their own advocate, to ask the doctor, to push the doctor for a low-dose CT scan. It could save your life.”

The Road Ahead

DiJulio’s work isn’t finished. As a survivor and advocate, she is committed to making lung cancer a thing of the past.

“We’re going in the right direction, yes, but we still need more,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be the leading cause of cancer death.”

Through her advocacy, she continues to inspire others, raise awareness, and provide hope to those fighting lung cancer.

As her friend and fellow advocate Knafman-Onda put it, “Terri Ann is a good soul because she is so giving.”

DiJulio’s journey proves that even in the face of life’s most daunting challenges, there is always an opportunity to make a difference.

If you know someone who has performed an act of kindness, whether it be big or small and you think they serve as an example of compassion, generosity and service, nominate them here: whyy.org/goodsoulsform.