Walk Nov.5th in South Jersey.. need your opinion

[Maryanne]

I am sending the following I composed to my friends and family...Let me know what you think. I will be sending it tomorrow. If there is anything I should ad please let me know.

To all my Family and Friends,

November is Lung Cancer awareness month. As most of you know Joel is a survivor of Lung Cancer. He was extremely lucky that they caught his early and he was able to have an operation then had Chemotherapy. He is now disease free. This has happened for him through early detection. Most people are not so lucky.

It is not just a smoker’s disease as it is found that 40% are either previous smokers (some over 25 - 30 years ago) chemical related, and there are about 15% of people who never smoked at all. Some have not come in contact with smokers. (Dana Reeves for one) Why is this?

Lung Cancer is considered a "smokers disease" and the thinking mentality is "they smoke so this is on them". Well, as you read in my statement above this is not always the case. We must receive money to do research in order to find causes and for early detection. Along with clinical trials for treatments of people who have advanced cases.

Here are some facts:

Lung Cancer

• More Americans die each year from lung cancer than from breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers Combined.

• Lung cancer is the Number One cancer killer of men and women.

• Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both of the lungs. While normal lung tissue cells reproduce and develop into healthy lung tissue, cancerous cells reproduce rapidly and never grow into normal lung tissue. Lumps of cancer cells become tumors which disrupt the lung’s proper functioning.

• Most (87%)—but not all--lung cancers are smoking related.

• Not all smokers develop lung cancer.

• Quitting smoking reduces an individual's risk significantly, although former smokers remain at greater risk for lung cancer than people who never smoked.

• Other risk factors: exposure to other carcinogens such as asbestos and radon gas; exposure to second hand smoke

• Approximately 171,900 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2003, accounting for 13% of all new cancer cases.

• An estimated 157,200 Americans will die in 2003 from lung cancer, accounting for 28% of all cancer deaths.

• While overall cancer incidence rates are declining, lung cancer incidence rates among women continue to rise.

• Between 1960 and 1990, deaths from lung cancer among women increased by more than 400%.

• An estimated 68,800 women in the U.S. will die this year from lung cancer.

• An estimated 88,400 men in the US will die this year from lung cancer.

• Lung cancer is the second most common cancer among African American men and women, and kills more African Americans than any other cancer.

Now these statistics was in 2004. This is much greater now. We need money to help toward research. We can no longer just put it in the dark and forget about it.

Many families have more than one member who has or had died from LC. This tells us that this must also be in our DNA. Why can some people smoke like chimneys and die in their nineties with no trace of LC? Could it be that people who have DNA's of weak lungs are the ones who are must vulnerable?

WE NEED RESEARCH AND EARLY PREVENTION!!

I am walking for a group called Lungevity.org. The link below is the web page with information about our walk.

http://www.lungevity.org/site/epage/26556_447.htm

This is what we need from you. We need your support and donations. This is tax deductible.

This is a 5 mile walk. Of course I know I probably will not be able to complete but I will do my best to complete it. Joel is also going to give it a try.

I need a pledge from you guys. I would like you to pledge a minimum of $5.00 a mile. Please let me know what you want to pledge. Or you can just pledge what you can afford. Any donations will be appreciated and will help this cause.

After the walk, I will get in touch and tell you how far I walked and what you owe. The check will be sent to me but made out to "Lungevity" for LC research. I will pass your pledge contribution on to that organization.

Please let me know, ASAP the amount of your commitment. as the walk is next Saturday, Nov. 5th.

Thanks all, together we can make a difference....

Joel and myself and the thousands of people who have this dreaded disease thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

"BREATHE DEEP"

Maryanne & Joel

[dadstimeon]

Very well said Maryanne, good luck! Rich

[carolhg]

I very much like what you had to say. I think it will have a great impact on family and friends. Good job!!!

Carol