Aliza Bran
abran@susandavis.com
(202) 414-0798
WASHINGTON, April 27, 2016 – Four years ago, LUNGevity Foundation, the leading lung cancer nonprofit, designated May as Lung Cancer Hope Month, a time to celebrate the progress that is being made in the fight against lung cancer and join together with hope for a better future. Recent unprecedented advances in lung cancer research make the month-long observance more meaningful than ever before. This year, LUNGevity created a variety of opportunities for people to share hope and get involved, including the #ThisIsHope social media campaign, advocacy opportunities, event participation, and one-on-one mentoring.
Throughout the month, #ThisIsHope will spotlight the many faces of hope – survivors living longer, better lives; doctors making strides in research; family and friends enjoying more time with loved ones with lung cancer; and social media users who want to join the celebration of hope. Participants are encouraged to share photos of themselves and their loved ones on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the social media handle #ThisIsHope.
For those ready to spread awareness about the disease and support people affected by it, LUNGevity has a downloadable Advocacy Toolkit that provides materials and tips on sharing information about lung cancer. For more hands-on involvement, advocates can volunteer for or attend LUNGevity events that take place across the country, or create an event in their own community to raise funds for critical lung cancer research seeking new detection methods and treatments. To learn how you can play a role and help create hope for those impacted by lung cancer, go to www.lungevity.org/get-involved.
Lung cancer survivors and caregivers can also sign up to mentor those who could greatly benefit from their support and personal experience. Through LUNGevity’s LifeLine, mentors are matched with newer patients and caregivers, and through the Clinical Trial Ambassador program, clinical trial veterans are paired with first-time lung cancer clinical trial participants to help guide them through the process.
To learn more about Lung Cancer Hope Month, LUNGevity, and lung cancer news, go to www.LUNGevity.org to sign up for LUNGevity’s monthly newsletters and read Survivor and Expert blog content.
About Lung Cancer
- 1 in 15 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime
- More than 221,000 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 three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined
- Only 17% 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 dramatically