Austin Courtney
[email protected]
(202) 414-0791
WASHINGTON, DC (October 27, 2016) – LUNGevity Foundation today expresses great sadness on the death of Board Vice Chairman Jerome Sorkin, a respected lung cancer community leader, advocate, colleague, and friend. A three-time cancer survivor and never-smoker, Sorkin was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in August 2007. He began working with LUNGevity Foundation in 2009 and joined the Board that same year. Jerry was the founding force behind Breathe Deep DC, the annual 5K walk that raises funds and awareness of the need for lung cancer research. Since Sorkin established the walk, it has grown to be the most important annual event in the nation’s capital focusing public attention on lung cancer, the need for funding critical research, and the growing number of survivors living better due to scientific breakthroughs in new treatment options.
“Jerry’s impact on LUNGevity’s work is pervasive – his influence has been felt in all that we have accomplished over the past 7 years and he will be incredibly missed,” said LUNGevity President and Chairman Andrea Stern Ferris. “He has been a powerful, yet gentle ally in the ongoing battle against lung cancer, and we rededicate our efforts to finding cures and treatments in Jerry's memory. His dedication and selflessness have benefited so many in the lung cancer community. We join his wonderful family, and all who called Jerry friend and colleague, in mourning the loss of his inspiring presence in our lives.”
Jerry Sorkin, in addition to his important role in accelerating progress and creating hope for lung cancer patients, was Executive Director, CEB in the Community at CEB. He is survived by his wife Lisa and daughters Emma and Claire, who were always by his side in all his efforts to change the dialogue about lung cancer and change the future for lung cancer patients. They joined him in making lung cancer research a life-motivating priority.
For more information on 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 for 5-year survival improves dramatically