Chad Dunbar, a 47-year-old dedicated athlete and lifelong non-smoker, was known for pushing his limits by cycling over 3,000 miles every season across Colorado and Utah. In 2023, everything changed after he felt pain and swelling in his calf following an intense mountain bike challenge. Initially thinking it was just a sports injury, he later learned it was a symptom of something far more serious—a fast-moving, aggressive lung cancer caused by a rare genetic mutation.
Despite appearing in peak health, Chad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer linked to a RET gene mutation, common in non-smokers. His cancer had already spread to vital organs including his brain, liver, bones, and lymph nodes. Though he responded well to targeted therapies and chemotherapy initially, new mutations developed that made treatment harder. Facing a grim prognosis with only a 5% chance of surviving five years, Chad bravely chose to fight and cherish every moment with his wife and two sons.
Sadly, Chad passed away on June 25, 2025. His family remembers him as kind, vibrant, and strong—a man who defied cancer stereotypes but was ultimately taken too soon. His story raises awareness that lung cancer can silently affect non-smokers and that early detection is vital, even for those who seem healthy.
