American Lung Association launches campaign to raise cancer awareness for women November 19, 2015 General Cancer, Lung Cancer, Public Health, American Lung Association 0 November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a time to bring more awareness to the disease. The American Lung Association (ALA) is launching a $10 million campaign to raise lung cancer awareness among women. Every five minutes, a woman in the U.S. is told she has lung cancer. And this year, lung cancer will kill more Americans than any other cancer. Increased attention on this disease is desperately needed, as only 1 percent of women cite lung cancer as a health risk. Lung cancer is, however, a leading cause of cancer deaths, killing an average of 160,000 people per year. To raise awareness about this terrible disease, ALA launched LUNG FORCE, an initiative that unites women in the fight against lung cancer, encouraging them to raise their voices for change. "Through LUNG FORCE, the ALA has set out to raise awareness about lung cancer so everyone understands their risks and to advocate for innovations in research that will lead to earlier detection and more personalized treatments, so everyone has a fighting chance,” said Olivia Gertz, CEO of ALA. This year the ALA will invest $10 million in lung cancer research and $5 million in increasing public health promotion. This includes generating awareness of lung cancer screening, providing patients with information about clinical trials, and biomarker testing and advocating for increased federal funding for lung cancer research. Lung cancer has one of the lowest survival rates compared to other major cancers. One reason lung cancer is so serious is because it usually is not found until it has spread and is more difficult to treat. Increased awareness and improved access to screening options are key to saving lives. Millions of Americans at high risk for lung cancer now have access to potentially lifesaving lung cancer screening, which can detect lung cancer before there are symptoms, when it is easier to treat. New therapies also are being developed and strides are also being made in the fields of precision medicine and immunotherapy. However, the nation's investment in research must grow to ensure all patients have access to emerging therapies that could potentially save or extend their lives. “We are on the cusp of major positive changes in lung cancer,” Gertz said. “We encourage everyone to learn more about lung cancer during Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and for those whose lives have been touched by lung cancer, we encourage you to share your story and raise your voice against lung cancer.” Click here to learn more about the campaign. Comments are closed.
