As an Emmy-winning producer behind some of television’s biggest moments, Dionne Harmon was used to high-stress environments. But in late 2023, Dionne paused. She was scrolling through Instagram when she saw Kim Kardashian’s post about Prenuvo, a company that offers full-body MRI scans designed to catch health issues before symptoms appear. “I literally looked it up right then,” she told People. Her scan revealed a large mass in her right lung. She had Stage 3 lung cancer.
A Nonstop Schedule
Her fiancé Jesse Collins, who runs his eponymous production company, Jesse Collins Entertainment, has overseen mega events including the Super Bowl Halftime Show, the BET Awards, and more. Together, they’ve built careers on precision and performance.
“We both work hard and don’t always take care of ourselves the way we should,” she explained to People. “And sad to say, several of our friends have dropped dead of heart attacks because it’s a high-stress world. Jesse started his own company after his boss, John Cossette, died of a massive heart attack, so there’s always been that fear.”
So when she saw the post, she looked up the company and booked an appointment for the two of them.
Prenuvo’s scans range from $2,500 to $4,500, and appointments can take months to secure. Dionne booked two, one for herself and one for Jesse. At the time, she was more concerned about him.
They got scanned in March 2024. Jesse’s came back healthy. Unfortunately, Dionne did not.
Dionne Had No Symptoms
Her scan revealed a large mass in her right lung. The technician told her to contact a pulmonologist right away. A pulmonologist is a doctor who specializes in lung health, and even they were initially skeptical. Dionne had no symptoms. She didn’t smoke. It didn’t add up.
Still, she followed through. First came a chest X-ray, then a PET/CT scan. Unlike a regular scan, this one shows how tissues and organs are functioning, not just how they look. The results confirmed that the mass was active, and that meant cancer was likely. She was sent for a biopsy, where doctors removed a small piece of tissue to test under a microscope.
The diagnosis was confirmed by Dr. Graeme Rosenberg, a thoracic surgeon at USC. It was lung cancer, Stage 3.
“Most lung cancers are found by accident in the non-smoking population,” Rosenberg told People.
During surgery, doctors found that the cancer had already reached one of Dionne’s lymph nodes. The spread was microscopic, too small to appear on scans, but it changed her diagnosis. She was officially considered stage 3, despite having no symptoms and no visible warning signs.
Her surgeon told her they had acted just in time. A few months later, the cancer might have moved further, limiting her treatment options or removing them altogether.
“If you had found this six months later, we’d be talking about how to make the rest of your life comfortable,” Dionne recalled being told. “I would’ve died, for sure.”
She underwent robotic-assisted surgery using the Da Vinci system, which resulted in part of her lung being removed. The operation was a turning point. It gave her a chance to recover before the cancer could spread further.
Why Lung Cancer Gets Missed
Dionne’s story isn’t rare. It’s just rarely caught. Lung cancer is still widely seen as a smoker’s disease, but that assumption leaves too many people overlooked. According to the American Cancer Society, early-stage lung cancer often comes without symptoms. And when signs do appear, they’re easy to dismiss. A lingering cough. A little wheezing. Fatigue that feels like stress. For Dionne, there was nothing. No warning. Just a scan that saw what she couldn’t feel.
If There Had Been a Sign
Some of the earliest signs of lung cancer can include:
- A persistent cough.
- Chest pain that worsens with deep breathing or laughing.
- Shortness of breath or wheezing.
- Hoarseness or voice changes.
- Frequent respiratory infections.
- Unexplained fatigue or weight loss.
Dionne had none of these. No cough, no fatigue, no unexplained weight loss. By all accounts, she was fine until the scan said otherwise.
Recovery Wasn’t Pretty
The surgery was successful, but the recovery was difficult. Dionne, known for her independence and Type-A energy, had to rely on her mother for basic care. “My mom having to help me in the bathroom and wipe me was insane,” she recalled. Her fiancé Jesse became her full-time support system, keeping everything running while she healed. “It was amazing how he instantly went into support mode. Nothing mattered besides making sure I was okay and got through this.”
Instead of chemotherapy, Dionne qualified for a targeted drug therapy. She swallows one pill daily and schedules lung scans every six months. So far, everything has been clear.
In April 2025, Dionne ran the Paris Marathon. It was her way of reclaiming her body and her life.
“I was like, ‘I’m going to run this Paris marathon,’” she said, “just to prove to myself that I could, a year after my surgery and with [only a portion] of my right lung.”
From Survivor to Advocate
Now, Dionne is working with Rosenberg to launch a foundation focused on early lung cancer detection. She also got the chance to thank Kardashian directly. Her team reached out, and Kardashian responded with a post and a kind message. For Dionne, it was a meaningful moment. She told People that the post had ultimately led to her diagnosis and treatment, and she considers it life-saving.
A Warning to Black Women
The experience reshaped how Dionne thinks about health and visibility. She had always pushed through, showing up even when rest might have served her better. But this time, she paused and listened to her body. And it made all the difference.
Resources:
Emmy Producer Discovers Stage 3 Cancer After Prenuvo Body Scan (Exclusive)
Comprehensive whole body MRI scan for preventative care | Prenuvo
Lung Cancer Signs & Symptoms | American Cancer Society
