Dr. Bryant Lin, a Stanford University professor, faced a life-altering diagnosis: stage 4 lung cancer. Initially, he thought his persistent cough was just allergies. However, six weeks later, he learned the devastating truth. Lin, who has never smoked and was not exposed to secondhand smoke, has become a symbol of a growing demographic affected by non-smoker lung cancer. Research indicates that Asian women, in particular, have double the rate of this disease compared to their non-Asian counterparts.

Rather than retreating into despair, Lin made a remarkable decision. He developed a course at Stanford that centers on his personal experience with cancer. This course offers medical students an unfiltered perspective on terminal illness from a patient’s viewpoint. "I have stage four lung cancer, which is not curable," Lin told his students. "I will likely die of this cancer or something related to this cancer. It may be one year, it may be two years, it may be five years, I really don't know."

The course aims to enhance medical education by providing insights into the realities patients face. Lin shared, "Even though I knew what a patient goes through as a doctor, I didn't really know." By the third week of the course, he began documenting his chemotherapy treatments, openly discussing both the physical symptoms and emotional challenges he encountered. "Feeling nauseous. Avoided the Chipotle today because of that," he shared with his class.

Despite his terminal prognosis, Lin remains committed to living fully. His focus is on spending quality time with his wife, Christine, and their two sons, 17-year-old Dominic and 13-year-old Atticus. The family has been open about Lin's diagnosis, and he has written letters to his sons for them to read after he is gone. In these letters, he expresses his love, stating, "Whether I'm here or not, I want you to know I love you. Of the many things I've done that have given my life meaning, being your daddy is the greatest of all."

Lin's teaching philosophy extends beyond medical knowledge. He emphasizes the importance of kindness and hope. "It's easy to forget to be kind when you're sick," he remarked. The course began with a poignant letter from a former patient who wrote, "You treated me like you would treat your own father." This patient passed away just two weeks after sending the letter. Lin reflected on this, saying, "He spent time writing a letter for me during his last hours, days of life. And in a way, this class is part of my letter, my way of giving back to my community."

At the end of the course, Lin drew inspiration from Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech, telling his students, "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I know I had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for." Through his journey, Lin not only educates future doctors but also inspires them to approach their patients with empathy and understanding.