hi @shellfinder - I think when you've lost a close family member to a disease, you have all of the feelings of loss from that, in addition to your own fears with cancer. I say that as a lung cancer patient whose father died of lung cancer. In my family's case, we have a germline (genetic) mutation that makes it easy to develop lung cancer. Is that something your boyfriend has received testing for yet? In your bf's case, it will be important for him to have emotional support to cope with all of these feelings about starting treatment. Is there a social worker, or similar resource where he will be receiving chemo, that could help?