Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in America, killing around 437 people every day. That's across both ethnic and gender lines--and 60 percent of those who are diagnosed with lung cancer are non-smokers or smokers who quit decades ago. I think that information, from the Lung Cancer Alliance, is what you find when you look up "sobering statistics" in the dictionary.
When I was 16, my grandfather was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer. He was what you found when you looked up "lifelong smoker" in the dictionary--we figured out that he had smoked for 80 years, starting when he was around 7 years old. He moved into our house and died under hospice care two weeks to the day from his diagnosis. I have never--not even once--touched a cigarette of any kind.
But I've learned that avoiding cigarettes can't protect me--or you--from lung cancer. Four years after my grandfather's death, my other grandfather was also diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer. He hadn't smoked in 30? 40? A lot of years. Again, hospice, death, another loved one lost.
My mother lost a dear friend to lung cancer--and she never smoked at all. Friend-of-Fresh-Living Lori Hope is a lung cancer survivor. You all probably have stories of loved ones who have been affected by this devastating disease.
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and so I've compiled some resources from around Beliefnet to help raise awareness, encourage conversation, and offer support.
Lung Cancer Awareness Month Resources
No One 'Deserves' Lung Cancer
Pollution and Soot: Lung Cancer Threats?
10 Reasons to Quit Smoking
An Awareness Plea from a 'Breath Cancer' Survivor
Member Journal: Losing a Mother to Lung Cancer
Like what you see? Click here to subscribe and get Fresh Living in your in-box every day!
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Subscribe
Follow us on Twitter:
Thank you so much for writing about Lung Cancer! The more we all do, each in our own way will spread the word. The more people that begin to understand how large the number of deaths are and how small the funding, the sooner we can affect a change! Thank you so much.
Linda
P.S. My dad died of lung cancer after not smoking for 16 years.
Ihave be caner free since May 2009. I was diagnosed in Oct of 2008,I have some team of Docter's in Ill and Mo.. If you smoke please to stop and be check by your Docter.
Thank You!
I am a 65 year old non smoker diagonised last month with stage 4 lung cancer. It took 3 months to be diagnosed because there is no standard testing. Every scan radilogy report said Pneumonia because my upper right lobe was full of fluid. Thankfully I had a presistant pulmonary
Dr. who kept requesting more tests and scans.We need more funding for early detection of this killer.
My mother was diagnosed a year and two weeks ago with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer. I left my home, lost my job and see my husband maybe once a month - I have been her constant care-giver through this journey.I cannot thank you enough for addressing this horrible disease - everyone needs to be aware "if you have lungs, you are at risk for this disease". The toxins in the tobacco - and the toxins in our environment put everyone at risk.... My mother was put off by her doctor for 2 years - he prescribed more meds each visit and denied her requests for scans - insurance won't pay. Standardized test have to be put in place!!
my husband is a 5 year survivor of 4th stage lung cancer.After chemo and radiation it went to his brain. He had stero tactic radiation brain surgery.They gave him six mos when he was diagonsed its been 5 yrs.We are very blessed.He does have some memory loss and gets headaches which cause seizures,And at times his concentration he has trouble with but i'm grateful for what we got. We got married six weeks later found out he had 4th stage lung cancer. I was pregnant and fearful .but he fought and our little boy will be 5 yrs in december.and in december willbe 5 yrs in remission
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.