Every five minutes a woman in the U.S. learns she has lung cancer. Yet, it is a top-of-mind disease to only 1% of women. To give this real threat to American women the attention it deserves, the American Lung Association created LUNG FORCE.
LUNG FORCE seeks to destroy the stigma of lung cancer by raising awareness that anyone can get it – non-smokers and smokers alike. To date, the American Lung Association has committed $5 million to public health promotions, including publicizing early detection tools. Its efforts have garnered more than 2 billon media impressions about this lethal disease.
The LUNG FORCE initiative also funds $10 million in cutting-edge research and provides patients with information about clinical trials and biomarker testing. In addition, the American Lung Association has become a driving force behind efforts to increase National Institutes of Health funding for lung cancer research to $300 million by 2020.
LUNG FORCE has distributed information and provided support to more than 250,000 patients through online resources. To augment this online outreach, the American Lung Association has set up a free lung cancer help line, staffed by lung cancer specialists and serving both patients and caregivers.
Since 1904, the American Lung Association has worked to fulfill its mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The organization has been a leader in tobacco cessation, spearheaded the smoking ban on domestic flights, and succeeded in passing smoke-free laws in 28 states. Today, fighting lung cancer is the American Lung Association’s #1 strategic priority.
