This is an unusual year for us all, but healthcare facilities are still focused on lung cancer education and awareness. To help them in this effort, we offer our Shine a Light on Lung Cancer program that provides hospitals with guidance and supportive educational materials for use during Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November. 

Read below how one facility will build awareness through Shine a Light on Lung Cancer.

Written by: Daniel Craig, Cancer Program Outreach Coordinator, Tammy Walker Cancer Center, Salina, KS.

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Three Shine a Light on Lung Cancer events have been hosted in Salina, Kansas by the North Central Regional Coalition and its partners (CKF Addiction Treatment-Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition, Kansas Cancer Partnership, Tammy Walker Cancer Center). Every year, this event allows our coalition the opportunity to build awareness about lung cancer and educate the community on the causes, including tobacco use and exposure to radon and highlight the community efforts that are being done to address these risk factors.

In addition to educating about screening and treatment, we have a specific goal for this year’s Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event: to increase awareness of the Kansas Medicaid expanded coverage of tobacco cessation treatment and promote free counseling programs such as the Kansas Tobacco Quitline. The North Central Regional Coalition is also focusing on addressing tobacco and behavioral health, since, according to the Centers for Disease Control, patients with a behavioral health condition consume almost 40% of all cigarettes smoked by adults in the United States.

As with all organizations COVID-19 has changed many of our programs. As a coalition we have switched the format of our meetings from in person to Zoom and have found that our attendance has increased. We partner with the Masonic Cancer Alliance for in-person tobacco cessation classes, which have been changed to Zoom instead of being in person. One benefit of doing this is that individuals in the rural communities we serve have fewer issues when participating in class from home because there is no transportation or time commitment barrier.

This year, we are looking at holding a virtual Rise & Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event. Depending on where we are as a community in regards to COVID-19, we might also have a small in-person event. Although the event may look a little different this year the goal remains the same: increase awareness on the causes of lung cancer as well as screening and treatment for lung cancer.

Acknowledge your lung cancer community by making the Shine a Light Promise. This year participating is easy, make the promise by registering your facility!