In June 2019, a seizure brought Dukhi Hong to the emergency room. Doctors diagnosed small cell lung cancer that had spread to her brain, and estimated that she had six to nine months to live.
Six years later, at age 84, she reached her 100th immunotherapy treatment at Utah Cancer Specialists. Visits every three to four weeks had become occasions for her family to gather and celebrate time together.
Her oncologist, Dr. Stephan Kendall, described the milestone as extraordinary. The March 2025 account reported no signs of cancer in her lungs and minimal activity in her brain. Her response was unusual, not a prediction of how others would respond.
Dukhi moved from South Korea to Utah in 1965 and later raised four children as a single mother. Her daughter, Mitzi Maughan, described her as a source of strength and inspiration.
For the family, the hundredth treatment meant more than a number: it marked years of shared memories, and the chance for more time with someone they loved.
Adapted from the original Utah Cancer Specialists article. Original reporting credited to ABC4. Photo from Utah Cancer Specialists.
This account reflects the original publication date. Each patient’s experience is different; individual results do not predict another person’s outcome.