Did you know November is Lung Cancer awareness month?
All over the country there will be fundraisers to raise much needed monies for Lung Cancer research. November 12, 2011, was the Caine Halter Lungs4life 5K run in Greenville, S.C.. It's a great little run. If you live in Greenville and went down to support Lungs4life, We would like to thank you. If you don't live in the area and you find there is a Lung Cancer 5K or a one mile fun run that supports lung cancer research ~ please help by signing up for this race. You may think it does not matter, but surprisingly patients of Lung Cancer and those who have lost loved ones to Lung Cancer need you to be there to hold them up and to keep them strong. Most of all, Lung cancer research needs your money to find a cure. 
Don't worry about being in shape or even being a runner to do this fund raiser. ~ The thing you need most is a loving heart.~
Surprisingly, Lung Cancer does not get the support it deserves. You don't have to be a smoker to get lung cancer.
Lung Cancer is out there and it is a killer.
People that shouldn't even have Lung Cancer die from Lung Cancer everyday . Did you know: Lung cancer remains the leading cancer killer in men and women in the Uniting States among every ethnic group, yet still receives the fewest research dollars. Lung cancer causes 1 in every 3 cancer deaths and took 156,940 lives in 2010.
Let me repeat that. . . Lung Cancer Kills more people in the United States then any other cancer. . . and receives the fewest dollars.
I wonder. . . how could that be?
Is it because smoking and Lung Cancer have a stigma?
It shouldn't.
Never smoked!
These are hard the facts:
Lung Cancer is the Leading Cause of Cancer Death in Women and Men
- Lung cancer surpassed breast cancer as the #1 cancer killer of women in 1987. Twice as many women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer.
- Lung cancer will kill more women this year than breast, ovarian, cervical, uterine and vaginal cancers combined.
- Lung cancer will kill more men this year than colorectal, prostate, pancreatic, and melanoma cancers combined.
- Women who have never smoked appear to be at greater risk for developing lung cancer than men who have never smoked.
- Women tend to develop lung cancer at younger ages than men.
We know these hard, cold fact personally. Lung Cancer hit our family like a fright train six years ago. Lung Cancer killed our father. Lung Cancer killed my mothers husband of 56 years. Lung Cancer changed our lives. Lung Cancer burned a whole in our hearts.
My father never smoked. He never lived with smokers. He exercise everyday of his life. He even exercised in bed when he couldn't get up anymore because the lung cancer took over his body.
Don't think just because you live a healthy life style you won't be affected. Lung Cancer doesn't care. Anyone can get lung cancer.
So as I said before, if you hear about a Lung Cancer run this month. . .get out and support. It really doesn't matter if your a runner or not. We just need you!
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I am truly sorry to read your father's story. Also,thank you so much for enlightening me about Lung cancer. I was under the impression that only smokers ended up with this killer...:(
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful memorial to your father...thanks for headlining this important cause!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear this devastating cancer hit your family Lisa! It is surprising that so many with this cancer have never smoked! I love that you said all you need is a loving heart to run in these fund raisers! :)
ReplyDeleteVery Powerful Post! I'll be looking for a run in my neighborhood. I didn't know any of these things. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI agree with every paragraph. I am a lifetime NON-Smoker but have COPD, asthma and chronic bronchitis. But I live with a smoker, albeit for 20 o our 42 yers of marriage he has smoked outside my presence, i.e. outside our house and every house, my car or any car in which I am riding.
ReplyDeleteI even had one pulmonary physician vehemently accuse me of lying, saying I could not have COPD if I did NOT smoke. I wanted to slap him.
I have worked with PHARMACISTS, all male, who had ashtrays with a cigt. lit the entire shift; I "smoked" more than they did, until vsarious laws banned smoking in many places.
now I have heart trouble related somewhat related to pulmonary disorders; I have had kidney cancer which can be related to smoking.
Yet at 76, so far, husband seems in better health, at least diagnosed, than I am. He does have COPD and only using one inhaler.
SO AMEN
I'm so sorry for your loss! I'm so glad you're taking your story & raising awareness, though. My friend's mom (a non-smoker, healthy eater, etc) passed away from it last year. It is so devastating.
ReplyDeleteA good friend of mine died of lung cancer. She was 41 and never smoked. When she was diagnosed, the cancer was already Stage 4, and the doctors gave her 3 months to live. She lived 6 months. Broke my heart.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post concerning runs/fund raising for lung cancer. You have a loving heart....apparent from your blog.
Thank you for your visit to my blog. It is always good to get to meet and know new friends. I send you warmest smiles.
Jackie
Those statistics blew me away. We lost my grandfather to lung cancer 11 years ago. The doctor had been treating him for bursitis for six months prior to the diagnosis. Six days later he was gone--never to know his great grandchildren, which makes me sad, for he was one of the greatest men I have ever known.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. It is a beautiful tribute to your father and I did need to know.
ReplyDeleteA heartfelt tribute to your father, and a post that offers a timely personal story about such a horrible disease.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
Sobering and powerful post. I lost a cousin, like a brother to me, to lung cancer at the age of 35.
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with the statistics because I've thought this all along and it's not reported in this way very often, so thank you! On a more somber note, I'm so sorry that this is affecting your family. I'm thinking positive thoughts for you and yours. :)
ReplyDeleteCancer sucks all the way around. I'm so sorry you lost your father to this horrid disease. Thank you for sharing his story.
ReplyDeletePopping over to say hello my friend. Beautiful post and incredibly informative.
ReplyDeleteAny cancer is bad, and the fact that lung cancer can attack those who have never smoked is a new fact to me. Thanks for sharing and so sorry it hit your family!
ReplyDelete