For the first time the National Lung Cacner Partnership Patient Advocacy Summit brings together advocates from across America to share experiences and develop strategies for combating the stigma attached to the disease.
Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of men and women in the U.S. but no one is talking about it. Because of the stigma, even some survivors are reluctant to speak out. So, how do you advocate for an unpopular disease that doesn't have celebrities and supporters in big business and in government? The Advocacy Summit will be the first time that individual and group advocates will link up arms to work together on these issues.
Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women. There will be an estimated 161,840 deaths from lung cancer (90,810 among men and 71,030 among women) in 2008, accounting for around 29% of all cancer deaths. More people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.
Slightly more than 40% of people diagnosed with either type of lung cancer are still alive 1 year after their diagnosis. About 27% are still alive after 2 years. Only about 15% of people diagnosed with lung cancer survive this disease after 5 years.
Lung cancer advocates certainly don't want to take awareness or money away from any other disease, but it is time to bring lung cancer into the spotlight
Advocates will share their stories about people assumming they are smokers or that they deserve to have cancer because they have smoked in the past. Even if you have smoked, you don't deserve lung cancer.
Lung cancer experts from across the nation would be willing to speak about the stigma of lung cancer and the dire funding climate.
Sara Conley
312-558-1770