Linda Wenger
lwenger@LUNGevity.org
(973) 449-3214
WASHINGTON, DC (February 16, 2017) – LUNGevity Foundation is excited to announce that country music star Wade Hayes will be sharing his cancer journey with lung cancer survivors and their caregivers at the 7th Annual National HOPE Summit on April 29 in Washington, DC. As opening keynote speaker, he will relate his experiences before the largest convening of lung cancer survivors in the country.
The annual LUNGevity National HOPE Summit is the largest lung cancer survivorship conference where attendees come from across the country and around the world to learn about living well with lung cancer. The three-day event features inspirational speakers, medical expert forums, lung cancer survivor-specific sessions, advocacy sessions and opportunities for lung cancer survivors at all points in their treatment to connect with each other. Hayes will kick off the two-day conference and set the tone of hope for all in attendance.
Hayes was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in the fall of 2011. After extensive surgery and debilitating chemotherapy, Hayes battled his way back to health only to have the cancer return in the fall of 2012. The country singer fought back and channeled his experience into his latest album, “Go Live Your Life.” Today, Hayes is cancer free, a dedicated advocate for people living with cancer, and an active supporter of the Colon Cancer Alliance and other cancer nonprofits. He has spoken and performed at numerous events across the country to raise funds to fight cancer and inspire others.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Wade Hayes join us for this one-of-a-kind celebration of lung cancer survivorship,” said Katie Brown, VP Support and Survivorship. “His commitment to advocating on behalf of others with cancer makes Wade an inspiration for all of us.”
The National HOPE Summit is a 2½ day conference in Washington, DC, that is open to lung cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Learn more about this unique event and register at www.LUNGevity.org/hopesummit.
About LUNGevity Foundation
LUNGevity is the nation's leading lung cancer organization investing in lifesaving, translational research and providing support services and education for patients and caregivers. LUNGevity’s goals are three-fold: (1) accelerate research to patients, (2) empower patients to be active participants in their treatment decisions, and (3) remove barriers that patients face in accessing the right treatments.
LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. LUNGevity’s comprehensive resources include a medically vetted website, a toll-free Help Line in partnership with CancerCare®, a unique lung cancer navigator app, peer-to-peer matching for patients and caregivers (LUNGevity LifeLine), and survivorship conferences. LUNGevity also helps patients find and navigate clinical trials through our clinical trial finder tool, a Clinical Trial Ambassador program, and participation with Emerging Med.
Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.
About Lung Cancer in the U.S.
- About 1 in 15 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime
- More than 224,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year
- About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers
- Lung cancer takes more lives than the next four deadliest cancers (colorectal, pancreatic, breast, and prostate) combined
- Only 18% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it’s caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically