Our Founders
BIANCA BYE
"I'm Bianca from Massachusette where i live with my daughter, husband, and three cats!"
Bianca has a master’s degree in social work and runs a private practice as a mental health therapist. In 2023, Bianca had her first exposure to lung cancer when both of her parents were diagnosed with Stage IV NSCLC. This propelled Bianca to read as much research as she could about this disease that had abruptly entered her family’s life. When she learned that young adults her age were also getting diagnosed with lung cancer it led her to initiate the formation of the Young Lung Cancer Patient & Caregiver private Facebook group for those diagnosed 50 or younger. She wanted them to have a space of their own to meet and discuss hardships, ask questions, and share experiences on a private platform all their own. Advocacy and education of lung cancer, especially in young people, has now become an important part of Bianca’s life. She also enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
LEAH PHILLIPS
"I'm Leah, a girl from Kentucky in love my family, reading, and exercising."
Leah is a dedicated educator turned passionate advocate for lung cancer awareness hailing from Louisville, Kentucky. Armed with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in secondary education from Indiana University, her journey includes a fulfilling stint as a high school teacher before embracing the role of a full-time mom to her three wonderful kids – Tristan, Anna-Grace, and Stockton. Life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, despite having never smoked, bearing the EGFR exon 19 mutation. Undeterred, she has channeled her energy into advocating for lung cancer awareness at both local and statewide levels. Family is her anchor, with her supportive husband Todd by her side, and cherished moments spent at her children’s events or enjoying quality time with her doodle Maxwell. Beyond advocacy, she finds joy in the simple pleasures – from babysitting her nieces and nephew to indulging in hobbies like cooking, reading, exercising, and the occasional retail therapy. Join Leah as she navigate life’s twists and turns with resilience, love, and a commitment to making a difference.
LINDI CAMPBELL
"I'm Lindi. I love vacations at the beach, exercising, and all things family."
Lindi grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. She received a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Kentucky and her master’s from Western Kentucky University. They have been married for 37 years and have 2 adult daughters, Allie and Cassie.
Lindi was diagnosed in December 2017 with stage 1A lung cancer. She had 2 lobes of her right lung removed. Cancer re-appeared in her left lung in 2020. After a wedge resection and biomarker testing, she was diagnosed with EGFR exon 19 NSCLC. Lindi never smoked and she believes the high levels of radon revealed in her childhood home after her diagnosis is likely the cause of the damage in her lungs that led to her cancer.
She and her husband founded the nonprofit organization Breath of Hope Kentucky, Inc. in 2019. They have worked tirelessly to advocate for more visibility of patients who do not qualify for screening. After meeting Bianca and understanding her passion for helping young adults diagnosed with lung cancer they combined their efforts, with Leah on board, and formed the Young Lung Cancer Initiative as a division of the BOHKY 501(c)(3) to expand their work nationally bringing more visibility to this under-served demographic of lung cancer patients.
Team Members
CAROLINE EPP - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
"I'm Caroline,I love my husband, my dogs, and traveling as much as possible."
Caroline grew up in Evanston, Illinois and earned both a BA in anthropology and a BFA in photography from the University of Iowa. She then moved to the east coast, earning an MAT from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in photography from Pratt. She spent 21 years as an art and photography educator at the high school and college level until she retired due to her diagnosis of stage 4 EGFR exon 19 deletion lung cancer at the age of 49. As someone who never smoked, she was shocked to find out that lung cancer was even a possibility. But after joining the Young Lung Cancer Facebook group, she found that she wasn't alone. She connected with Bianca early on, and now Caroline uses her skills from teaching to help YLCI as a Community Engagement Coordinator. She has found that working with the young lung community has brought new meaning to life despite her lung cancer diagnosis.
