Mark Christensen

[Heidi Hatch KUTV @tvheidihatch]

A YEAR AGO SHE RAN A 1/2 MARATHON- TODAY, SHE NEEDS A DOUBLE LUNG TRANSPLANT.

Kelsey Flake is a 39-year-old Utah mother of five battling Stage 4 lung cancer, despite never smoking a cigarette in her life.

“Kelsey has never smoked a cigarette in her life. Today, she has Stage 4 lung cancer,” her brother wrote in a fundraiser for the family.

Kelsey was born with a rare genetic variant that predisposes her to lung damage and lung cancer. She was diagnosed in 2024 and went through chemotherapy, surgery and immunotherapy. For a time, scans showed no evidence of active disease.

Then, in January, the cancer returned in both lungs. Her family says she now has just 41% lung capacity and relies on oxygen full time.

After exhausting other options, her family found the DREAM Program at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, which offers double-lung transplants to a highly selected group of patients with advanced cancer confined to the lungs.

“This work changes what we can imagine for a highly selected group of patients who were previously considered beyond the reach of curative-intent intervention,” Dr. Ankit Bharat, chief of thoracic surgery at Northwestern’s Canning Thoracic Institute, said.

Kelsey and her husband, Jacob, are now facing months in Chicago for the transplant and recovery, while trying to keep life as normal as possible for their five children, ages 6 to 15.

Kelsey started the process Tuesday in Chicago.

Her family has launched a fundraiser to help with the cost of temporarily relocating a family of seven.

“Right now, she is the one who needs people to show up for her,” her brother wrote.

More on Kelsey’s journey, the groundbreaking research behind transplanting donor lungs into patients with Stage 4 lung cancer and what this opportunity could mean for her family in comments

[Mark Christensen @markemcee]

My cousin! Please help if you can

[Spencer Linton @Spencer_Linton]

Alright BYU fans (& all of my friends):

Utah native/BYU fan, Kelsey Flake, is a 39-year-old mom of five battling Stage 4 lung cancer.

She’s now in Chicago seeking a double-lung transplant. This GoFundMe is to help her through the transplant & road ahead.
https://t.co/hf5VtAFRx5

[Russ' TD ⚡ @RussFcb]

"I hate how OKC plays basketball" and it's 2011 Barca passing

[Blood Beast @KipseyHussle]

They really did watch him die lmaooo. Offered no support 😭😭

[Mark Christensen @markemcee]

@Hoopss Austin Reaves

[AJ Dybantsa @AJ_Dybantsa]

Thank you Elder Rasband

[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @AOC]

This is sad. I know as a politician these companies are going to spend a billion dollars against me for saying it but 🤷🏽‍♀️

Pervasive gambling is not good for society. It turns life into a casino, traps people in addiction & debt, surges domestic violence, and fosters manipulation.

[Jonny Linehan @jlinehan9]

I like to think that if I were 6’10” and had played in the G League before going back to college, I could score more than six points in ten games while averaging almost 12 minutes per game…

[BYU Men's Basketball @BYUMBB]

His game. His way.

32 FOREVER.

[Ethical Hoops🏆 (only takes Ws) @EthicalHoopz]

Bruh I nearly spit my drink out when I saw this live 😭😭�

[Fran Fraschilla @franfraschilla]

The notion that anyone thinks that @BYUMBB @AJ_Dybantsa is “struggling” is foolish. He’s seeing two, three and four bodies on most possessions. Averaging 30 over the last 11 games in @Big12Conference. Playing even better than the expectations.

[ESPN @espn]

BYU'S AJ DYBANTSA WITH HIS 9TH-STRAIGHT GAME OF 20+ PTS 🔥

The most in a row for a Big 12 freshman since Trae Young at Oklahoma 🤯

[Aaron Torres @Aaron_Torres]

While we're here: Hey @AP_Top25 - do us all a favor and please rank BYU appropriately to start next season.

That way, when BYU inevitably wins 10, 11 or 12 games in the regular season you guys don't need to pretend like you had no idea that they'd be so good all along.

Thanks🙌

[Underdog NFL @UnderdogNFL]

Most receiving yards per game in NFL history:

Puka Nacua - 93.7
Justin Jefferson - 90.8
Ja'Marr Chase - 87.6
Calvin Johnson - 86.1
Antonio Brown - 84.2

[Mark Christensen @markemcee]

@ESPNMcGee @drewjay I appreciate the revision. Thanks Ryan

[BYU FOOTBALL @BYUfootball]

we'll never get tired of this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Kevin O'Connor @KevinOConnor]

Cason Wallace is such an awesome player.

14 points, 7 boards, 5 assists, and 4 steals for OKC on opening night. Defended KD. Hit clutch shots. Does a little bit of everything at a high level for the Thunder.

[Greg Welch @ArtDirectorBYU]

Pac-12 spent 40 years saying we weren't a good cultural fit for them.
Then they went out of business.

[Mark Christensen @markemcee]

@TheDunkCentral Funny the guy who injured him and potentially shortened his career is blaming someone else

[The Onion @TheOnion]

Andy Reid Gently Tells Travis Kelce What Expected Of Him On Wedding Night https://t.co/4zttmrg313