The impact of raising our voices together at the June Virtual Lung Cancer Voices Summit has been huge! So we are sharing more tangible outcomes of the Summit with you today.

Recognition from the Congressional Lung Cancer Caucus

We couldn’t hear from our Congressional Lung Cancer Caucus Chairs in person, but Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (D- 2-PA), sent a video message to Summit attendees and to confirm his commitment to our efforts in increasing funding for lung cancer research.

Advocates in Action

Here is one example of how individuals speaking with one voice made a difference.

During legislative calls at our recent Voices Summit, advocates from New York met with their members of Congress to educate them on the urgency to increase lung cancer research funding. The one-on-one calls with the offices of Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-17-NY) and Senators Schumer (D-DNY) and Gillibrand (D-NY) were both engaging and empowering with strong verbal commitments from these congressional leaders to ensure that our request to increase funding of the dedicated lung cancer research pipeline within the Department of Defense returns to its original $20 million.

A powerhouse team of NY advocates made up of patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers led the charge, including June Burke, Bruce Dunbar, Catherine Paykin, Jody Steinhardt Colleen Conner Ziegler, Sarah Christ, Alisa Brenes, January Jones-Omotajo, Erum Hamid, Hugo Rizzo, Laura Greco, Susan Strutz,  Jolie Lerner, and Dennis Sandler.

Elridge Proctor, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Public Policy facilitated the meetings with the NY congressional offices. “This is the only federally funded program dedicated exclusively to lung cancer that looks at how the disease develops, how to treat it, and how to prevent it with studies, which often move into clinical trials, at the National Cancer Institute. Having this commitment from New York legislators, particularly amid a pandemic that puts lung cancer patients at even greater risk, sends a profound message of support for our community,” stated Proctor.

$20 Million in Research Funding

The result of the NY effort and all of the calls to action made by our 230 Voices Summit advocates, representing 36 states, has already resulted in clearing two significant hurdles in securing the vital $20M in research funding. Keep shouting about the need for additional lung cancer research funding!

We are grateful to you – our amazing advocates – for sharing your powerful stories and speaking out as one to demand more attention, more support, and more funding for our community. We are stronger together!