Keith Martin, a 59-year-old former DEA agent, is cherishing this Christmas with his family after spending the past two holiday seasons in and out of the hospital due to a grueling battle with stage 4 terminal lung cancer. Diagnosed in late 2022, Martin faced numerous complications, including blood clots, pneumonitis, and congestive heart failure. Despite the odds, a new targeted therapy at the Cleveland Clinic is offering hope, holding the cancer at bay.
After a challenging two years, Martin’s family is optimistic. The innovative treatment, going beyond traditional chemotherapy, utilizes multiple medications to target a specific cancer mutation. “’Terminal’ is a scary word,” acknowledges Dr. Daniel Silbiger, Martin’s oncologist. “But two years into this journey, he’s in the best shape I’ve seen. This is a tremendous story of hope.”
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Martin’s journey has been marked by resilience. Having lost his mother to cancer at a young age, he and his brothers were raised at Milton Hershey School, a boarding school for low-income families. Martin recalls his father ensuring they had meaningful Christmases, even with limited resources.
He later graduated from Pennsylvania State University, earned a graduate degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and built a successful career with the DEA, retiring in 2021 after nearly 28 years of service. However, his plans for a second career were interrupted by his unexpected diagnosis.
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Initially dismissing a pain in his leg as a blood clot, Martin was eventually diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. This led to further tests and the devastating cancer diagnosis just two days before Christmas in 2022. He was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, ALK-positive, a rare form treatable with targeted therapy.
The first targeted therapy led to pneumonitis, a serious lung inflammation. His health deteriorated, culminating in hospitalization after Thanksgiving 2023, where he suffered congestive heart failure and a stroke. Martin recounts this as the lowest point in his life, calling his subsequent recovery a “Christmas miracle.”
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Last Christmas was spent in the hospital fighting for his life. By September 2024, the cancer had spread, requiring strong pain medication. A new therapy at the Cleveland Clinic became his last hope. Remarkably, within days of starting the treatment, his pain subsided, and he was able to reduce his reliance on oxygen. His tumors began to shrink.
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Martin credits his wife, children, brothers, and friends for their unwavering support throughout his ordeal. He awaits his next scan in January with optimism, hopeful for continued positive results. While his cancer remains terminal, he emphasizes his gratitude for a fulfilling life, telling his children he has no regrets.
