ASK LUCY AI

At the age of 49, dancer and performance artist Lucy Simic was diagnosed with Stage 4 ROS1 cancer.

Ask Lucy AI is an interactive virtual experience designed to provide recently diagnosed cancer patients and their loved ones with a space to speak openly with someone who has walked a similar path. It was inspired by the real-life journey of Lucy Simic, who has been living with cancer since 2018. While every cancer journey is unique, Lucy’s reflections aim to shed light on some of the countless questions that arise along the way. It was developed with the support of Lucy’s oncologist, Dr. Catherine Shu, from Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.

Please note: Ask Lucy AI is not intended or qualified to provide medical advice. Instead, it offers insight into the lived experience of navigating cancer.

  1. Tell me how you found out you had cancer.

  2. How did you feel when you were first diagnosed?

  3. How did you get through the shock?

  4. What did a “normal” day look like for you during treatment?

  5. What helped you manage side effects?

  6. What should I pack for treatment days?

  7. What was your first chemotherapy like?

  8. Did you ever feel like giving up?

  9. How do you manage anxiety while waiting for test results?

  10. What gave you hope when it felt hopeless?

  11. How do you stay positive?

  12. Are you afraid of dying?

  13. Did you lose your hair? What was that like?

  14. How did you forgive your body?

  15. Did your relationships change?

  16. How do I explain it to friends without scaring them?

  17. What kind of treatments have you done?

  18. Did your sense of identity change?

  19. Did you ever feel like a burden?

  20. How did your family handle it?

You Can Ask Me Anything-But If You’re Not Sure Where to Begin…

Advisory Board

Dr. Catherine Shu
Director of Thoracic Medical Oncology
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NYC

Dr. David Berlach
Chair of the Radiation Oncology Division at Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn NY