Yesterday, I signed up for the Breathe Deep Atlanta Lung Cancer Walk sponsored by Lungevity Foundation. I'll be walking in support of my mother, a lung cancer survivor. I know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - my grandmother died from breast cancer. But when my mom was diagnosed, the assumption that she smoked was too much - because she didn't. You can read about my mom's story in my post, Standing Up For Mary. I wanted to share with you a few facts that you may not know about lung cancer.
The Statistics
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, regardless of gender or ethnicity.
Lung cancer impacts one in 14 Americans and kills more than colorectal, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers combined.
Lung cancer kills almost twice as many women as breast cancer, and more than three times as many men as prostate cancer.
About 55% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers.
Lung cancer accounts for 14% of all new cancer diagnoses but 28% of all cancer deaths.
One major fact that us in the Lung Cancer supporter community are trying to end is the stigma. Anyone Can Get Lung Cancer - you don't have to have smoked or lived with a smoker. You can be old and you can be young. The following story truly touched me. I have decided to do a weekly post (or more) on Lung Cancer to get the word out.
Jill lost her battle with Lung Cancer. Her wish was to beat this disease. Let's do more!
Thank you for getting the word out. The disease has such a stigma attached to it. As if the ill person is to blame. You are working for God by educating people. Xoxo
Thank you for getting the word out. The disease has such a stigma attached to it. As if the ill person is to blame. You are working for God by educating people. Xoxo
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