[jdm]

If you're a smoker who quits, then doesn't smoke for "x" number of years, and doesn't get cancer, your lungs gradually become like new again. I think it takes around 10 years for the lungs to become like new again.

This is a mystery to me. If she did cabaret, that was probably back in the 70s, 80s, maybe early 90s. The most recent of those was at least a decade ago.

[plain talk]

your lungs gradually become like new again

??? I doubt they ever become like new again.