A Passion for People: How Jennifer Hughes Confronts Lung Cancer

Jennifer Hughes is getting ready for a party next month. And not just any party, but GO2 for Lung Cancer’s “Simply the Best” gala. 

Hughes, senior director of national events, oversees every detail of GO2’s gala, which raises awareness and resources to confront lung cancer. It’s been held every November for the past twenty years during Lung Cancer Awareness Month and is GO2’s largest fundraiser of the year. This year’s event will take place on November 11th at the Fairmont San Francisco.

“I love the gala because we celebrate our community,” said Hughes. “We have people with lung cancer in the room, along with caregivers, physicians, and industry partners. We honor those fighting to find a cure and help those impacted by the disease.”

GO2 also presents several awards at the event. The awardees include companies committed to oncology, advancing science and treatment options, and pioneers in lung cancer research. There is also a special Wind Beneath My Wings Caregiver Award, which honors caring, compassionate people who go above and beyond the call of duty for a loved one facing lung cancer.

“While so much is focused on the person who has lung cancer,” said Hughes, “we also celebrate caregivers. Without them, the patient would not be able to handle all the things that need to be managed.”

A portfolio of community-building events 

While the gala annually brings the community together, it’s just one of the many events that Hughes and her team oversee each year. From stepping out at one of the six 5k walk/run events around the country each year, to marathons, golfing, or designing your own fundraising campaign, GO2 offers a wide range of opportunities to support the global lung cancer community.

In addition to raising much-needed revenue, GO2 events unite the community. “Our events bring people together, providing a safe space to talk with us and each other about what they’re going through,” said Hughes. “These are events where people can share stories and feel good about themselves and each other.” She adds that for herself, the events and the lung cancer community offer a sense of purpose that’s hard to find anywhere else.

If Hughes sounds passionate about her job, it’s because she is. She may not be GO2’s first employee, but she’s been involved with the organization since Andrea Parks asked her to join what was then her mother Bonnie Addario’s fledgling patient advocacy organization. Hughes, who grew up in the Bay Area, went to high school with Andrea and her sister, Chief Patient Officer, Danielle Hicks. Later, the Addario family was there for Hughes when her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She jumped at the opportunity to join the family’s foundation—and the rest is a story that’s still being written.

Hughes has one son, Mason, who attends Chapman University in Los Angeles. Following his mother’s footsteps, he’s also involved with GO2, volunteering as an emcee at many virtual and in-person 5K events. Outside of work, Hughes can be found hiking and spending time with her dogs, family, and friends.