As the holidays approach, we want to thank you for supporting LUNGevity this year. Your contributions as donors, partners, volunteers, and advocates help advance our efforts to transform how people are diagnosed and live with lung cancer.
While there are too many achievements to include, we’re excited to share these select 2023 highlights.
Transforming Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Early-Stage Disease Treatment
This year marked the launch of the LUNGevity Early Lung Cancer Center (ELCC), uniquely dedicated to accelerating the development and adoption of early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options so people with lung cancer have the best chance for long-term survival and a better quality of life.
The LUNGevity ELCC is coordinating the Foundation’s years-long efforts across research, policy, and education to stage-shift lung cancer so that routinely diagnosing it earlier when it is the most treatable is the norm, not the exception.
We look forward to working with our Center’s External Advisory Board, partners, and stakeholders to improve rates of lung cancer screening, establish and standardize incidental nodule programs, and leverage emerging technologies and research for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer.
Transforming Lung Cancer Through Research
◾ Committed approximately $5.5 million for 13 new multi-year research grants for projects centered on early detection, as well as studies to support veterans, improve health equity, and develop new treatment options.
We wish to thank our partners—the EGFR Resisters and the American Society for Radiation Oncology—for their ongoing commitment as we invest jointly in meaningful lung cancer research.
◾ Invested in increasing diversity among the lung cancer medical workforce by funding minority workforce development efforts to reduce healthcare disparity and improve patient outcomes.
◾ Continued to enroll for our global patient experience study, Project PEER, conducted by our Patient-Focused Research Center. This year, our study demonstrated that the impact of lung cancer treatment on the quality of life and financial distress experienced by patients may be cumulative. We presented these results at the World Conference for Lung Cancer 2023 in Singapore, sharing that this study highlights the need for long-term survivorship programs.
Transforming Lung Cancer Through Advocacy and Policy
◾ Convened on Capitol Hill alongside Congressional leaders, lung cancer survivors, American Lung Association, and GO2 for Lung Cancer to advocate for national action to advance lifesaving screening for people at risk. The joint press conference highlighted legislation to address the national gap in lung cancer screening and early detection.
◾ Secured an increase of $10 million in federal funding for lung cancer research thanks to the work and support of our advocates and partner advocacy organizations.
◾ Launched travel scholarships to help lung cancer advocates attend events where they can share their stories with policymakers and effect change.
◾ Hosted several webinars, issued action alerts to weigh in on legislation, and sent newsletters to highlight important policy information and activities.
Join the LUNGevity Action Network to learn more and get involved in our 2024 advocacy work.
Transforming Lung Cancer Through Education
◾ Hosted our largest HOPE Summit survivorship conference to date with an interactive Lung Cancer Expo to help people diagnosed with lung cancer live well with the disease and build their community of support. Make sure to save the date for HOPE Summit 2024 in Atlanta, GA.
◾ Expanded our virtual International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference (ILCSC) to include participants from 61 countries with sessions available at different time zones so attendees could “Ask the Experts” for information about treatment options for their specific type of lung cancer, as well as understand the care available in their geographic area of residence. Sign up to be the first to learn about ILCSC in 2024!
◾ Created the inaugural Hope and Progress event with experts from five independent Atlanta-based healthcare institutions to present what’s new in research and treatment and how to live well with lung cancer to an audience of patients, survivors, and caregivers.
Your end-of-year donation will help grow impactful events like HOPE Summit and the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference in 2024.
Thank You, Supporters, Donors, and Advocates
As we look back at an impactful 2023, we thank all the people who helped make it a success.
◾ Supporters, advocates, and volunteers from across the country who came out to a Breathe Deep TOGETHER walk and visited the new lung cancer resource fair, ran in a Team LUNGevity endurance event to raise awareness and fundraise for LUNGevity programs, or held a Create Your Own fundraiser event in their community.
◾ Attendees at LUNGevity‘s first annual Young Professionals Cocktail Party and all who joined our annual Celebration of Hope & Progress Gala in New York.
◾ The many volunteers who served as LifeLine mentors or participated in our LUNGevity Action Network.
◾ All of our donors and sponsors who make our programs possible.
We wish everyone happy holidays and look forward to continuing to work together to transform how people live with lung cancer.
