Team Lung Love

In Washington we were very lucky to spend time with the fantastic people at the Lung Cancer Alliance.  We wanted to tell you a bit more about them and the amazing work that goes on globally to try and defeat this cruel disease.  Not many people know that lung cancer is still the biggest cancer killer in the world, causing more deaths than breast and prostate cancer put together.  Yet in terms of research it is the most poorly funded.

The Lung Cancer Alliance is the only national non-profit in the US to provide support and advocacy exclusively to those living with or at risk of the disease.  Their mission is to lead the movement to reverse decades of stigma and neglect by empowering patients and their loved ones, elevating awareness, and changing health policy.

The Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) is also the only group in the US to provide direct patient support through the toll-free information line and their portfolio of services, and the only group to also do the public health advocacy. They work at the federal and state level to raise awareness, increase federal research funding for the disease, and to confront stigma and garner more compassion for lung cancer.

On top of all this Maureen and the gang at the LCA took time out of their weekend to show the FTFE crew around Washington, arranged for us to meet Washington fire fighters and played the boys at their own game, cricket, outside the Capitol.  A huge thank you for everything!

The LCA work closely with our favourite UK lung cancer charity, the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, through the Global Lung Cancer Coalition which brings together 18 lung cancer organisations in 16 different countries.  The coalition promotes global understanding of the burden of lung cancer and the right of patients to effective early detection, better treatment and supportive care.  They aim to accomplish their mission by ensuring that policy makers, medical professionals; the media and the general public recognise the serious nature of lung cancer and the need for immediate action to meet patients’ needs.

Raising awareness is a vital part of the battle against lung cancer.  Please help spread the word.

http://www.roycastle.org/

http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/

http://www.lungcancercoalition.org/

Amy

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