Our December newsletter 2020 has been an unprecedented year, with new challenges for many people, particularly those living with lung cancer. However, it has also been a year of innovation and hope that pushed us all to adapt and achieve more than we could ever have anticipated. We at LUNGevity are proud of what we were able to accomplish this year. Below are some highlights of the year. Research continued to move forward! Eleven new lung cancer treatment approaches were approved by the US FDA in 2020 alone. More new treatments mean more people living well with the disease. Research is the key to these advances, and LUNGevity has not stopped funding scientific research during the pandemic. This year, LUNGevity funded three Career Development Awards. We also funded three ALK Positive Lung Cancer Research Awards, in conjunction with the ALK Positive patient group, and launched the EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer Research Award Program in partnership with the EGFR Resisters. LUNGevity delivered relevant, timely information about the coronavirus through our COVID-19 and Lung Cancer website, with regular updates from the CDC and other experts on COVID-19, the Conversations with Healthcare Experts video series, and weekly COVID-19 e-newsletters. The Breathe Easy Emergency Response Fund provided financial relief to many during the early months of the pandemic. Weekly Virtual Meetups have allowed isolated people affected by lung cancer to connect virtually with their peers. We are proud to serve our community during these unprecedented times and look forward to continuing to provide valuable support services and important information as it becomes available. We made steps toward a better understanding of the patient experience through the launch of Project PEER, a multi-year, international study. LUNGevity is proud to collaborate with the FDA on this project, offering the agency real-world data about how members of our patient population, particularly those underrepresented in clinical trials, respond to therapies. The results will help provide the best care possible to the lung cancer community. Advocates have a new way to make a difference with the launch of the LUNGevity Action Network. Through the LUNGevity Action Network, advocates can take real steps toward improving lives and outcomes for people with lung cancer. The Action Network helps our community make meaningful changes for those affected by lung cancer. LUNGevity continued our commitment to ensuring that all people, even the most vulnerable populations, have access to optimal care. Two projects embodied this value this year:
LUNGevity’s events went virtual, from our National Breathe Deep events and the first-ever eRACE Lung Cancer to our International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference and Learn with LUNGevity events. We saw the value of virtual this year, bringing together people from coast to coast and beyond, including those who might otherwise have been unable to connect, to support each other and learn from the disease’s top experts. While this year has been difficult, it has also been a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when a community comes together with a common goal. We’re making great strides – with your help – to create a world where no one dies of lung cancer. This has been a busy year. Catch up with what LUNGevity’s been working on in the Fresh Air newsletter. |