For WCCO Radio's Susie Jones, Mom's advice saved her life

Susie Jones, a 25-year veteran of WCCO Radio's newsroom, is close to her mother — especially now that Mom's advice may have saved her life.

On Nov. 4, Jones, of St. Louis Park, was rear-ended on an entrance ramp to I-394. She felt OK after the crash, but headed to an urgent care to get checked out.

While waiting for the doctor, Jones took a call from her mother, Kay, a 90-year-old former nurse in Minneapolis. Kay had been in a car accident recently and injured her sternum, so suggested her daughter get a chest X-ray. The doctor said it probably wasn't necessary, but ordered it anyway.

The X-ray revealed an unexpected shadow. A few more scans and a biopsy later, Jones found out she has Stage One lung cancer.

While the news wasn't what Jones hoped to hear, her oncologist noted the good fortune of having the cancer discovered while it's small and localized. "He said, 'People that come in with symptoms, they're Stage Four, and I say, 'Game over,' " Jones recalled.

At Jones' stage, odds are in her favor. She's currently meeting with doctors and expects to start treatment in January.

"It's really a miracle," Jones said of the fortuitous diagnosis, noting that she has smoked, off and on, since she was a teenager. "I just feel so grateful."

The well wishes she's received after sharing her story on a recent WCCO-TV segment have been "overwhelming and really sweet," Jones said. It's been especially encouraging to hear from others who have received a similar diagnosis and gone through treatment successfully.

Jones said she's finding support from faith, friends and family. And as her birthday approaches, on Dec. 25, she's feeling especially appreciative of her mom. First, for giving her the gift of life. And now, for giving her a second chance at it.

"She gave birth to me 59 years ago and the cancer would not have been discovered had she not asked for the chest X-ray," Jones said.