Letters to the media.....

[Andrea]

Since November is approaching, I want to write some letters to the media here in Southern California. I meant to last year and just never did.

The first thing they teach new lawyers is not to waste time re-inventing the wheel So if anyone has any letters they have written and would not mind sharing them (obviously I would tweak it to make it personal to me), please let me know

[Kasey]

Funny you posted this today, Andrea. Our local paper had a BIG spread on the front page of what is called the Living section Sunday. It featured an ovarian cancer survivor and her story. It was even continued on another page, so I sent an email to the editor. Here it is:

Dear Mr. Adams,

I read with much interest the front page of the Living Section of the Sunday News September 3, 2006. Your coverage of ovarian cancer and this particular patient's journey will be encouraging for many, I am sure. I am drawn to stories such as this one............involving difficult cancers ...........as I am a survivor of such a one myself.

My purpose in writing, in addition to expressing my appreciation for covering this story, is to make my plea that you will give consideration to doing the same type of coverage for lung cancer the first Sunday in November. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and it is recognized so little. I have researched lung cancer and collected so much information and statistics, and I have become disheartened by the lack of recognition given to one of the deadliest diseases of all. Once the cancer of 'old' smoking men, it is now showing no discrimination. It is striking more and more non-smokers ~ young women in particular. There are no fund raisers specifically for lung cancer since it has always been deemed a smoker's disease..................thus a deserved one. I am anxious to raise awareness, as well as HOPE, that this can be a treatable disease and not the death sentence as it has come to be known.

I would be happy to share informatin with you, relate personal stories of remarkable people who are beating the odds ~ who are never heard about. I do thank you for any consideration given this subject of utmost importance. This year alone lung cancer will kill more people that breast, prostate, colon, melanoma cancers combined. Please give thought to being proactive in this cause.

Thank you,

[Linda661]

Great idea Andrea. Loved your letter too Kasey. Lung Cancer Alliance seems to have some media info. available (for the media to use during LC Awareness month)....maybe there's something useful there, but I haven't had a chance to check it out yet (kinda new to actually doing anything meaningful yet ).

I don't think my state officially recognizes LC Awareness month, but I figure I could maybe at least get a letter to the editor about why aren't we and some facts and figures in there myself -- it's a start anyway. I looked at writing to our governor directly, but I've got to tell you that she is going to be a tough to deal with on this issue at this time: we have a major property rights initiative fight going on in our state that's heating up for Nov. ballots. Our state seems so proud of itself for decreasing smoking and that's it from my research -- even our Lung Association in our state does nothing but harp on smoking causing LC and that's it from what I've found.....very discouraging. Did a search online for our local newspaper and can find nothing coming up about LC other than blurbs on Dana Reeves and Peter Jennings -- no attention to it locally at all for as far as the search would take me .

Linda

[ztweb]

Hey, I am loving this idea. I would love to send a few things around here as well. I like the idea of not reinventing the wheel, so I was wondering if we might want to have something posted here that we can all lift and send to our locals????????? Katie, maybe you have something that we can send on behalf of the LCSC??? Just some thoughts. This seems like such an easy thing to do just to get the word out...

[ztweb]

I guess I am BUMPING this, because I am wondering what the thoughts were on writing something...???

[RandyW]

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 6:18 am Post subject:

learned in the rudest possible manner that lung cancer is in many ways a women's disease now. It kills more than 70,000 women each year in the United States -- that's more than breast, ovarian and uterine cancers combined. And women younger than 40 are at slightly greater risk of developing the disease than men under 40, according to a report from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. Rates of the disease in men have leveled off in the past 25 years, but rates in women have gone up. Women who smoke, a new study in The Journal of the American Medical Association reveals, are almost twice as likely to get lung cancer as male smokers. Yet there are no cute pink ribbons, few nationwide walks for a cure and no celebrity spokespeople

Lung cancer will kill approximately 68,510 women in the U.S. this year -- more than breast and ovarian cancer combined. Lung cancer deaths surpassed breast cancer deaths in 1987.

Lung cancer deaths among women skyrocketed about 150% over the last two decades, while the number for men increased by 20%. Between 1950 and 1997, deaths from lung cancer among women increased by more than 600%.

International lung cancer death rates among women vary dramatically, which reflects the historical differences in the adoption of cigarette smoking by women in different countries. In 1990, lung cancer accounted for about 10 percent of all cancer deaths among women worldwide and more than 20 percent of cancer deaths among women in some developed countries.

In 1950, lung cancer accounted for only 3% of all cancer deaths among women; however, by 2000, it accounted for an estimated 25% of cancer deaths--an estimated 1 of every 4 cancer deaths and nearly 1 of every 8 newly diagnosed cancers among women.

Research shows that women are approximately 1.5 times more likely to develop lung cancer than men.

The risk for lung cancer increases with quantity, duration, and intensity of smoking. The risk for dying of lung cancer is 20 times higher among women who smoke two or more packs of cigarettes per day than among women who do not smoke.

Most lung cancer cases are smoking-related (87%). Quitting reduces your lung cancer risk significantly, although former smokers are still at greater risk compared to people who never smoked. Risk declines with the number of years of smoking cessation.

The U.S. Surgeon General reports that in a hospital-based study, the odds for lung cancer were higher among black women than among white women at each level of tar exposure.

In 1996-1997, lung cancer incidence rates among women younger than age 65 were higher among blacks than whites, which suggests that differences between incidence among black women and white women may increase in the future.

Studies, which included more than one million women from four countries, provided data on smoking and the risk for lung cancer among women. All showed significantly higher lung cancer mortality among smokers than among nonsmokers.

Survival rates declined with age at diagnosis and advanced stages but were higher among women than among men at all ages and stages and for all cell types.

The risk for lung cancer mortality increased with the number of cigarettes smoked. Lung cancer risk increased with the number of years of smoking, and this increase was independent of the number of cigarettes smoked per day.

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a cause of lung cancer and coronary heart disease among women who are lifetime nonsmokers.

Recent advances in treatment have increased survival rates and improved the quality of life of patients significantly.

Thanks to new treatments, the cure rate for lung cancer has doubled over the last 30 years.

DOES THIS HELP YOUR CAUSE ANY???? Just thought I would throw it out there. Lung Cancer is the Breast Cancer of the New millenium. THe political stigmatism of smoking is what keeps thiss fact in the shadows while other Cancers are brought to the fore front because of Sympathy factors. I need to get off my soapbox now. Have a great weekend.

_________________

[ztweb]

No soapbox feeling from me! This was exactly what I was looking for. I assume we can use these facts when we write???? I can just imagine it, "According to RandyW from the LCSC, ...." Just kidding! Seriously though, this helps me write!!! I would be willing to write something that others could use too, if you are interested.

[Treebywater]

I wrote this one last November, and it was printed. Lift and Edit to your heart's content if you want.

http://www.registermail.com/stories/110 ... .GID.shtml

But do note that they combined all my links, this one isn't there (and will be this year!!!), and the one they decided to keep doesn't match the organization name that decided to keep. Crazy editors.

Val

[ztweb]

Way to go Valerie! This is amazing! I am so proud of you!

[Andrea]

Thanks everyone. As I said, why tax my brain anymore t han needed when others have already worked so hard

I am waiting to send my letters until I knwo about my dad b/c it would change the story. I will post it when it is doen

[Nancy B]

Hi Andrea, your Dad is still in my prayers.

The Los Angeles Times puts out a "Health Section" every Monday. I e-mailed them last year but think I was too late. (latimes.com/health)) Just a thought.

Hugs,

Nancy B

[Andrea]

Bump in case anyone wants to copy like I am.