Aliza Bran
abran@susandavis.com
(202) 414-0798
WASHINGTON (May 6, 2014) – LUNGevity Foundation, the nation’s leading lung cancer nonprofit, commemorates May, Lung Cancer Hope Month, as a time to celebrate the hope and promise of science in the ongoing quest for a world where no one dies from lung cancer.
LUNGevity Foundation President and CEO Andrea Stern Ferris noted the remarkable progress in lung cancer treatments, growth of lung cancer communities and support systems, and increasing awareness and advocacy for the search for treatments and diagnostics for the disease among the indicators giving reason for hope.
The foundation kicked off Hope Month 2014 with the fourth annual HOPE Summit, a two-day conference that brought together scientists, advocates, and survivors from across the nation for celebration, education, and the opportunity to unite with others connected to the disease.
LUNGevity Foundation’s lung cancer community is strong and grows every day, with 125 lung cancer survivors in attendance at the 2014 HOPE Summit, a record number in the event’s four-year history.
To date, LUNGevity Foundation has supported 100 research projects at 56 institutions in 23 states. On May 13, LUNGevity will begin reviewing the 2014 applications for lung cancer research grants. The foundation received a record-breaking number of applications from top scientific researchers across the nation.
“From the lung cancer community’s continued courage and optimism to the work of dedicated scientists whose research is making a difference, LUNGevity Foundation is proud to work with brilliant, committed individuals devoted to the fight against lung cancer,” said Andrea Ferris, president and chairman of LUNGevity. “In this past year alone, we have seen so many reasons to be hopeful about our quest – with an unprecedented number of promising lung cancer therapies in development, advances in diagnosing lung cancer early, and increased media attention on the progress of lung cancer detection and treatment. Every step in our fight is a step closer to the day when no one dies of lung cancer.”
About Lung Cancer
- 1 in 14 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime.
- About 60 percent of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers.
- Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, taking more lives annually in the U.S. than the next top three cancers combined.
- Only 16 percent of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, but if it’s caught before it spreads, the chance for 5-year survival improves to 52 percent.
About LUNGevity Foundation
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. Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information on LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.