Chad Dunbar, a 45-year-old father and cycling leader from Utah, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022 — despite never smoking. Just a week earlier, he had ridden over 3,000 miles on his mountain bike. “I was doing 3,000 miles every season and my lungs were probably the healthiest piece of me,” he recalled.
Dunbar said his only warning sign was “pain and swelling in my calf,” which he initially blamed on overuse. Sadly, it turned out to be stage 4 lung cancer that had already spread to his brain, liver, bones, and lymph nodes.
Doctors later found his cancer was caused by a RET gene mutation — not lifestyle choices. This rare mutation can trigger uncontrolled cell growth and lead to severe complications, including leg pain, weakness, or fractures.
Despite being told he had only a 5% chance of surviving more than five years, Chad remains determined. “Hey, you know what? Freaking five percent, I’ll take those odds,” he said with courage.
