Monday, March 13, 2006

Joan's Legacy

There is another lung cancer website that I have been hearing more about. Like my sister, Joan Scarangello was a non-smoker who was diagnosed at the age of 47 years. She lived 9 months after her diagnosis. Below is part of a press release from Joan's Legacy. This organization was founded by Joan's friends and family in her memory. Their focus is to raise awareness and to find a cure for the disease.

(Read the full Press Release from their website)

Joan’s Legacy Rededicates Itself to Lung Cancer Research and Awareness in Memory of Dana Reeve

The heartbreaking loss of Dana Reeve shines a spotlight on lung cancer and the lack of research into increasing survival through earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment.

Dana Reeve, like Joan Scarangello, was one of the 25,000 never-smokers who die of lung cancer every year – of which four out of five are women. Dana, like Joan and like Joan’s mother 20 years before her, was diagnosed late and had very few options for treatment. All three survived less than a year from their surprising diagnosis. Sadly, this is also true for the majority of the 162,000 patients of any smoking status who die of lung cancer each year in this country.

About Joan’s Legacy

Joan’s Legacy is named for Joan Scarangello, a writer and nonsmoker who died at age 47 after a valiant nine-month struggle with lung cancer. Joan’s Legacy is committed to fighting lung cancer by searching for a cure and focusing greater attention on the world’s leading cancer killer. Founded in 2002, Joan’s Legacy is fast becoming the “venture capital” for lung cancer research.

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the United States, taking more than 160,000 lives each year. Yet lung cancer receives less research funding than almost any other cancer, making the work of Joan’s Legacy even more compelling.

Joan’s Legacy will make grant awards every fall. The foundation also hosts a benefit every November (Lung Cancer Awareness Month), which helps to fund its research initiatives. For more information about Joan’s Legacy and lung cancer, please visit www.joanslegacy.org.

Posted by Lynda :: 10:11 AM :: 2 people are more aware ---------------------------------------