How and why lung cancer affects women differently than men – and what we need to do to better address this women’s health imperative – has been a central focus of ours for years. Amid our efforts to keep our community apprised of COVID-19 safety measures, new lung cancer treatments, and advocacy efforts to increase lung cancer research funding, we have not placed Women and Lung Cancer initiatives on a back burner.
In fact it is quite the contrary – as our efforts have paid off.
In the past few weeks, our long sought bi-partisan Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act, first introduced in 2016, was included as report language in the House FY2021 Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS), Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The report language draws a bright light on the disparate impact lung cancer has on women and urges the National Cancer Institute to accelerate research and implementation of preventive services for women.
This action is a pivotal opportunity to reset the dialogue and reshape healthcare infrastructure to help people with lung cancer live longer. A new federal plan of action helps increase research to (1) gain a better understanding about why lung cancer behaves differently in women and (2) inform life-saving gains in early detection and treatment. A plan also outlines methods to accelerate implementation of screening services and public awareness and education initiatives about the importance of early detection.
Understanding why lung cancer behaves differently in women will unlock answers that will advance transformative breakthroughs to improve quality of life and increase survival, not just for women, but for the entire lung cancer community.
As this appropriation bill moves forward we will continue to keep you informed on progress.
Bringing greater national awareness, research, and funding to this “hidden” woman’s cancer, that claims more lives than breast and all gynecological cancers combined, will continue as a steady drumbeat. This cadence has propelled action for a more comprehensive, coordinated, and compassionate federal response to meet the needs of our sisters, mothers, aunts, daughters, and grandmothers impacted by this disease.
We must underscore the importance of our advocates who fearlessly emerged from the shadows to challenge stigma, share their stories, and demand change. Our collective voices and experiences are changing misperceptions and advancing new opportunities to deliver life-saving screening and innovative treatments to our community. With our goal of making lung cancer a national priority, our perseverance has paid off and Congress is advancing our cause.
On a final note, please know that we are not stopping here. Count on GO2 for Lung Cancer to accelerate progress with major initiatives related to women and lung cancer:
- Funding research of women like Tina Cascone, MD, PHD through its Young Investigator Award program (in partnership with Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO).
- Launching studies to better understand lung cancer’s impact on women (SHAWL and GoYL).
- Making the life-saving benefits of screening for lung cancer as important, affordable, and accessible to women at risk – just like we do for breast cancer.
- Advocating for historic increases in federal research funding to advance breakthroughs and cures.
- Ensuring that women and men have access to high-quality screening and treatment in communities where they live.
Count on us to stand by our mantra: Whatever it takes. Whatever the need. We get it done together.
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| Bonnie J. Addario Co-Founder and Board Chair |
Laurie Fenton Ambrose Co-Founder, CEO and President |
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