The Battle in CA rages on

[SJAS]

Things have really heated up in our fight to get the governor's office to rescind, rewrite and reissue an appropriate proclamation for LCAM. Our Chair has written a very moving letter which we have now posted on our website. If you would like to read it and also send feedback to our governor, click the link below. We want Gov. Schwarzenegger to hear an outcry from across the nation on the disservice this proclamation does to all those affected by lung cancer. As a state which prides itself on its understanding and compassion for all persons struggling with issues impacted by stigma, it is outrageous that this is the best they can do for those with lung cancer. We would appreciate your taking a few minutes to send feedback to our governor.

http://www.lungcanceraware.org/proc.htm

[ginnyde]

Joyce,

First I applaud you for these efforts. I hope you and your boys are doing well.

I sent an email to the Govenator, I think he can use all the support he can muster right now.

[BeckyCW]

This really does burn me up. Here's the reply I sent, using the email link you provided. Thank you, Joyce! And yes, that IS a great letter to the Governor from your chairperson on the website -- and from you!

BeckyCW

PROTEST OF LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTH CALIFORNIA PROCLAMATION

Goveronor, you could use some good publicity right about now, and here's one way to get it: Stand up and tell Californians that your earlier proclamation for Lung Cancer Awareness Month left out some important things.

Yes, it's important to keep the pressure on people to stop using tobacco products, for the sake of their health. (You could set an example there, too, by publically stopping the cigar smoking.) But why is that all there is to your proclamation, when there are other big awareness issues to address?

Isn't it important that we find better methods of early detection for lung cancer? It is partly because it is almost never detected early enough that so many of those diagnosed will die of the disease.

The proclamation should at least mention that the funding spent on curing lung cancer is a fraction of that spent for any other type -- even though more people die of lung cancer than breast, prostate, and colon cancer COMBINED.

And why are we afraid to acknowledge the fact that many people get lung cancer who DON'T smoke (some who never did)? That's not to say it's okay to smoke. It's to say that smoking doesn't "explain it all away." If everyone stopped smoking today, we'd still need research to find cures.

Last, but far from least, why can't we stand up and say that people with lung cancer -- whether or not they smoked -- are deserving of our compassion and of their own dignity? Less passing judgement and more concern, less blaming the patient and more focus on curing him or her... is that too much to ask?

Who am I? The sister of an incredible man who was diagnosed at age 38, died last summer at age 40, and left behind a 3-year-old daughter. Did he smoke? Why do you ask? If he did, would that mean he "got what he deserved?" If you have a more compassionate view, please, issue a new proclamation. And make a big deal about it.

Thank you,

Rebecca Chapman Weaver

South Pasadena, CA

in memory of David Wayne Chapman

[DianeFox]

Email sent...thank you for the link. Diane Fox

[SJAS]

Thank you Ginny, Becky & Diane. I very much appreciate you taking your valuable time to do this for us.

Yesterday was a marathon phone and computer session. The upshot is that even though the Dept. of Health Services stumbled when trying to defend the statement that the majority of lung cancers are related to ACTIVE (emphasis mine) smoking, they still stand by their proclamation and say it's not standard procedure to reissue it. Standard procedure or not, they must do better.

Laurie Fenton has contacted Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA) who is also Co-Chair of the Senate Cancer Caucus, to express her disappointment in the proclamation and request the a hearing be held in Congress to address all the issues surrounding lung cancer.

So thank you for helping to press this issue. It is making a difference.