Jana_W Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 Hi all I need some help and advice. You might be familiar with the difficulties Karen and I have had with our local Cancer Council and it's very unopen approach to anything not conventional. Well, we now have a new fight on our hands. I emailed and spoke with the lady in charge of events at the cancer council to alert her to the fact that November 17th is International Lung Cancer Awareness Day and to ask if the Cancer Council was going to recognise it or do any fundraising activities. The answer is NO! As there are no early screening programs for lung cancer they don't feel that they are in a position to run any campaign as they don't have information to disseminate. Naturally, my sister and I are appalled at this. More people are killed in our state by lung cancer than any other form of cancer, yet they are not even going to acknowledge this day!!! What can we do???????? I would appreciate any advice that can be offerred, as I really don't know where to start. Thanks so much Jana xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 We never had much luck with the ACS in Minnesota either. Connie our fierless leader organized a lung cancer awareness event we put on at our capital in November a couple of yrs in a row, got Drs to speak etc. One year in my city hall we had a table at a cancer awareness event. I put up an information table for the month of November at the hospital I work at. This year my city is putting on a cancer awareness event in our local mall. We hope to have a table there also. Some others on this site have had really nice events. Best Wishes . Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrie Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Same here with the ACS, they sent me an application after I called them to let them know I was interested in going into the schools in the area and speaking to kids about smoking and lung cancer. I never got a response. I kinda feel like where ACS is concerned if you are not making a donation it is really not important - just my opinion. Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmek Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Until my Mom was dx with lung cancer, I had never really given it a second thought. I never knew about the funding, just assumed everything was being done that could be as in all areas. I never thought of lung cancer any different than any other cancer. I maybe had heard about it being the number 1 killer. To me cancer was cancer, I just didnt seperate the disease. My how a few months can change your total thought process and way of thinking. It just appalls me that this really happens. People actually treat those with LC "different". I have yet to see this displayed towards my Mom by anyone in any way. I hope that never changes. BUT, I know it happens because I now hear about it and not just on here. This is discrimination at its best. It seems to me that someone should have to answer to this, be responsible, do something to change this. I can tell everyone does everything that they can do, but on an individual level, its just not enough. This is not right, we have to find a way to fight this and get what we are entitled too weather it be money for research or just acknowledgement (sp) in November. Just because there is not a set proticol for early detection, is not reason enough to be banned. To me, thats all the more reason to include Lung Cancer in everything. There are so many aeas in lung cancer that could use "help", where does one start, especially if as in my case, I have not experienced anything during my moms treatment that was less than 100 percent. I really have nothing to compare this too, as I have never been a caregiver or even really known anyone with cancer of any kind. I do not know if I am the sort of person to take charge and organize and produce a lung cancer "event", but I am certainly the type to be a big part of one. But, I dont want to just sit around doing nothing, while waiting on someone else to do it and call me for help. Where do I start? Where do I go? What do I do? or I guess its really where do we start?Where do we go? and what do we do? I would also like to thank each and everyone of you that has stepped up to bat for us all. God bless Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jana_W Posted February 28, 2005 Author Share Posted February 28, 2005 Hi Thanks for the replies and encouragement! Well, it seems I am getting nowhere with our local Cancer Council. After several emails it seems that they are simply not going to commit to International Lung Cancer month in any way, shape or form. They won't even place it on their calender of dates as a special day, which at least would recognise it. Lung cancer kills more people in the state I live in than any other cancer and they are happy to sit by and not acknowledge this. I have been soooooooooooooo angry. Also, they continually point out to me all the money they spend on tobacco control and smoking cessation programs. This is all great, and I am not suggesting this should change. However, don't they realise that there is a big difference between prevention programs and support for people currently affected by and living with lung cancer!!!!!! Hence the reason for the "clear ribbon". They are so stupid and blind to all of this. So now I am liasing with the Australian Lung Foundation who seem to be more interested in possibly pursuing this, but nothing is certain at this stage. It seems to me that you guys have similar experience in the USA with your local cancer groups. I did look up the ALCASE web-site. We don't even have anything like that in Australia, we just have nothing. I really appreciate your replies and encouragement, so please let me know if you can think of anything else. Karen and I have decided we should maybe write some letters to the paper and stuff like that. And I like the idea of some awareness raising at GP surgeries etc. Wishing you all well Jana xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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