What I've done today for Lung Cancer Awarness

I am stuck at home this morning (getting a new garage door) and since the computer is right here, I decided to send out some e-mail. I contacted two news papers and one TV station so far. I changed the wording a little for each, but the following is what I sent out:



This month, as you know, is breast cancer awareness month. Everyone knows that because of all the pick you see everywhere. There was an issue earlier this month about someone wanting to fly bras done Dodge street to support awareness.

But did you know that November is Lung cancer awareness month? Most people don't. There will not be football player wearing all white in support of it. Stores will not be stocking up on white pen or white hats with white ribbons in support of it. Heck, most people still believe that people that get lung cancer did it to themselves as a result of their smoking. Well, I am here to tell you that no one deserves any cancer, and everyone is at risk for lung cancer. These are just a few fact that I took from the Lungcanceralliance.org website:

The face of lung cancer is not what you think:

50% of new cases are former smokers, many who quit decades ago
another 10 - 15% have never smoked
veterans are at higher risk with a 25% higher mortality rate
In 2008 162,000 mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, aunts, uncles and friends will die of lung cancer

Including about 25,000 who never smoked, roughly 2/3 of which are women.
Lung cancer is the HIGHEST cause of cancer deaths

more deaths than breast, prostate, colon and liver cancers combined
one in every three cancer deaths
three times as many men as prostate cancer
twice as many women as breast cancer.
Only 16% of all new cases are being diagnosed at an early stage when lung cancer is curable.

The overall 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is still only 15% while the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is 90%, for prostate cancer 99% and for colon cancer 66%

lung cancer is the least funded of these cancers


Why? Stigma of smoking and small number of survivors/advocates

Blame the victim mentality similar to AIDs.
most new patients die within a year because of late diagnosis
no priority or sense of urgency within federal research agencies


And did you know that the American Cancer Society, yes the one that does the big relays every year, doesn't give one dime to lung cancer research. The CDC gave $205 million to breast cancer, but nothing to lung cancer. Why is that? Because the stigma has got to change. EVERYONE IS AT RISK FOR LUNG CANCER. There are over 450 people that die each and everyday because of lung cancer. Please, please, please write something about the FACTS of lung cancer in next months papers. Yes, smokers can get it, but it is one of the fastest growing cancers in non-smokers. Help change peoples views and maybe, just maybe, lung cancer will not have to be the death sentence that it is. Maybe it can become a chronic illness like high blood pressure or diabetes. Maybe we can get the funding that is so desperately needed to save lives.

If you have any questions, please contact me,



Right now, I have the energy to do this, I don't know what next month will bring. So while I can I have set a goal of contacting at least three newspapers or TV stations across Nebraska everyday. Granted, I will just use the same letter, but, I am going to get someone to pay attention. I will do follow up e-mail by the first weekend in November asking what they have done or or going to do for Lung Cancer Awareness month.

Blessings,
Barb

P.S. Feedback and onions welcome on the letter. If something needs to be changed or reworded, let me know before I get to many sent out. Thanks.