By Collecting and Sharing the Stories of Lung Cancer Patients, Caregivers and Survivors, the American Lung Association is Helping to Raise Awareness and Show Support for all Whose Lives Have Been Touched by Lung Cancer.

Washington, D.C. (November 12, 2013)—

In honor of Lung Cancer Awareness Month this November, the American Lung Association is showcasing the personal stories of those who have been impacted by lung cancer on its Facing Lung Cancer microsite, www.mylungcancersupport.org. 

By creating a digital space in which the lung cancer experience is discussed, the American Lung Association is helping build awareness and reduce stigma around the disease, as well as providing a sense of reassurance and inspiration to lung cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, and family and friends everywhere.

Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer for both men and women in the U.S., with roughly 399,000 Americans currently living with the disease. In 2013, an estimated 228,190 new cases of lung cancer were expected to be diagnosed, representing almost 14 percent of all cancer diagnoses. Lung Cancer Awareness Month aims to get people talking about the disease in a more positive light.  Starting out as just a Lung Cancer Awareness Day in 1995, the movement has since grown into a month-long program featuring fundraisers, sporting events, social media campaigns and other public activities to raise much-needed awareness and funding to support critical research and create a more positive public dialogue around lung cancer.

“We believe that when one person shares their lung cancer story, it causes a ripple effect that gives others permission to do the same.  This ultimately builds a more supportive community and helps move us towards a more supportive discussion of the disease,” says Harold P. Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association.

Facing Lung Cancer acts as an informative and easy-to-use resource for lung cancer patients and their caregivers.  Boasting intuitively-structured information about lung cancer staging and treatment, an interactive video library featuring advice from lung cancer experts, and a robust Lung Cancer Toolkit, the site has something to offer for anyone facing lung cancer.

About Facing Lung Cancer

Facing Lung Cancer: Support From Day One is a unique web-based learning experience focused on lung cancer patients and their caregivers. This project emerged from a need to transform the way lung cancer is discussed. As advances in the medical world move towards “personalized medicine,” it is important that health education move in the same direction. To learn more, please visit: http://www.mylungcancersupport.org/

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About the American Lung Association Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lung.org.