Eric Doust: “The Beginning of a Long Story”
How lung cancer thriver and Constellation Brands Vice President Eric Doust teamed up with the V Foundation to run the New York City Marathon and raise funds for the best-of-the-best in cancer research.
When faced with an unimaginable diagnosis of lung cancer in his early 30s, Eric Doust made a choice: the cancer wasn’t going to define him, and his story was still being written.
“I was like, ‘This isn’t how it’s going to go,’” Eric said. “’This is not going to be the end of the story. This is going to be the beginning of a long story.’”
That story, now nearing two decades past his diagnosis, includes a successful career, a passion for cancer research, and a lot of running.
Diagnosis, Treatment and Recovery
In the late 2000s, Eric was on and off sick with pneumonia and bronchitis for about a year. After being encouraged to do further testing by his now wife, he underwent a procedure for doctors to examine his lungs and airways. The doctor noticed something and asked if he had swallowed a popcorn kernel.
“I’m an adult, I was in my 30s,” Eric said with a chuckle. “I was like, I don’t believe I swallowed a popcorn kernel.”
The doctors took a biopsy to run further tests. Then, Eric received a phone call: “Hey, remember the biopsy? That popcorn kernel. It wasn’t. It was a tumor. You have lung cancer.”
Bronchial Carcinoid.
Eric described the moment as feeling like he got punched in the gut. He knew the road ahead would not be easy, but his story was unfinished.
After meeting multiple surgeons in the Chicago area who were familiar with his type of cancer, Eric learned he needed to have an intense procedure to remove part of one of his lung sacs and the lymph nodes around it. The procedure was grueling, involving going through his back and lasting hours.
Although daunting, Eric found comfort in the confidence of his medical team.
“Hearing their confidence helped me be more confident in what I was about to go through,” Eric said. “To be able to get to a point where someone can look me in the eye and tell me it’s going to be fine, almost in a very braggadocious way, but that’s what you want… that doesn’t happen without organizations like the V Foundation.”
The surgery was slightly more intensive than anticipated but successful. Eric recovered for nine months, aided by the support of his friends and family. Now, Eric is proud to be a cancer thriver and continues to invest in research to help others.
Running in the Big Apple
Eric celebrated his 50th birthday in 2024, marking 15 years as a cancer thriver. Despite not being a typical distance runner, he decided to mark the milestone by running a marathon.
“I’m down a lung sac. My lungs have been beaten up a little bit, but I’m not going to let that define me,” Eric said.
A longtime employee of Constellation Brands, an organization that partners with the V Foundation to support its mission to accelerate Victory Over Cancer®, Eric was encouraged by a co-worker to run the 2025 New York City Marathon through Team V, the Foundation’s official sports endurance fundraising program.
Eric’s goal was not to win the New York City Marathon. He aimed to enjoy it, one step at a time. He interacted with the crowd, donning a shirt that read both “V Foundation for Cancer Research” and “Cancer Survivor.” It was a celebration of what he had been through in the past and added another chapter to his story.
“I’m cured of cancer. I’m living, breathing proof that this money [raised] and these things the V Foundation does, it works,” Eric said.
Fundraising to Advance Cancer Research
Eric raised money for game-changing cancer research through the V Foundation leading up to his race. Through family, friends, coworkers, and strangers, Eric raised over $15,000. He was driven by the Foundation’s unique 100% pledge – where 100% of direct donations go to cancer research. He believes this significantly motivated donors as well.
“There’s plenty of other good organizations out there that mean well but don’t have the ability to give 100% of their donations,” Eric said. “It just puts these projects in such a good place because there’s so much more money that’s going into it … It’s a real measure of their dollars going towards a cure.”
The V Foundation invests in the best and brightest scientists in North America, funding over $458 million in cancer research grants since 1993. V Foundation researchers have gone on to be connected to nearly 1,100 clinical trials and earn an additional $22 billion in funding for their cancer research projects.
Eric’s story isn’t over. The chapter as a cancer thriver is long, filled with milestones and maybe even another marathon.
“I hope to be here at 75 having another chat [after] having run another marathon,” Eric said.
