My daughter-in-law Tamara, David’s wife, sent me the link for the info below. It is timely and worth sharing with my blog audience. I actually hadn’t realized the first fact! Personal details follow.
Lung Cancer Advocacy
November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and advocates are working to erase the stigma associated with the disease, which they say results in lower funding for lung cancer research. The anti-smoking efforts began as a way to educate the public about the dangers of smoking, but turned into “equating smoking to evil,” Sequist says. Society thinks of lung cancer as something people have brought upon themselves, so there is less sympathy around it, she adds.
Lung Cancer: The Deadliest Cancer
Lung cancer takes more lives than breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancer combined, according to the American Lung Association. The five-year survival rate for those diagnosed with lung cancer is 16 percent. Sequist says there have been some breakthroughs in treatments. The lung cancer rate has fallen 21 percent among men, but for reasons that remain unclear, the rates have risen 116 percent among women. About 160,000 people die from lung cancer every year, according to the National Cancer Institute, and more than half die within one year of being diagnosed.
If you would like to read the full article ….
A Medical Mystery: Why is Lung Cancer Rising Among Non-smoking Women?
When I was treated for my first lung cancer 15 years ago my doctor at Johns Hopkins said that the greatest need was for research due to the stigma. It seems to remain today. As a result I have contributed to the “Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Research at Johns Hopkins,” specifying lung cancer, for ten years. Baltimore, MD 21297. Paul and I were once invited to tour the facility and were duly impressed.
Ann's Hummingbird
Interesting! I had never realized the “shame” that results in less funding for lung cancer. Bob’s lung cancer was a weird variety, and not diagnosed until 2 weeks before his death. Amazing to realize how prevalent lung cancer is in relation to the other cancers
How well I know…mother,mother in law, both non smokers and husband who stopped in his 20’s… …which is why we also supported Hopkins research for a lung cancer cure. Thanks for spreading the fact that stigma effects funding.
Thank you, Ann, for this informative article. I fear for my daughter, Lisa, age 29, who wakes up every morning in Kabul, Afghanistan, blowing black mucous from her nose and coughting up black phlegm. The trash and garbage are burned at night. The air becomes heavy wtih smoke and soot. She may get lucky and have healthy lungs as she grows older but this exposure cannot be healthy for her (or anyone else, for that matter…..).