JaneC Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 In addition to informing politicians, I also think it's important to reach the media. I hope I haven't over-stepped my bounds but I emailed Oprah (cause when you talk about clout - you gotta talk Oprah ) with a show idea. This isn't to say I personally want to be on Oprah but I'm hoping one or some of us would if she selected the topic for a show. In my proposal, I focused on the toll in women because I thought that would be what she and her audience would most be interested in. Here's a copy of my message: My idea is regarding the dramatic toll lung cancer takes in women. Lung cancer kills more women each year than breast, ovarian, and colon cancer combined. Currently approximately $11,000 per breast cancer death is spent on breast cancer research while only $1,000 per lung cancer death is spent on lung cancer research. Lung cancer awareness and research lag behind many other cancers because of the stigma related to the belief that people with lung cancer have brought it upon themselves. I have inoperable lung cancer (non-smoker) and belong to an online support group (Lung Cancer Survivors for Change - www.lchelp.com) where many of the members are in their 30's and 40's - many of whom are non-smokers also. Until I was diagnosed, lung cancer wasn't even on the radar for me as a health concern. I believe, along with the other members of Lung Cancer Survivors for Change, that more media attention should be given to the awareness of lung cancer and the need for additional funding of lung cancer research. I'm thinking about sending out info to other media, too - if you all think this is a good idea. Any ideas for other media? Or should I just cool my jets? Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bean_si (Not Active) Posted August 10, 2004 Share Posted August 10, 2004 OPRAH! YES! OH why didn't I think of that. Who cares! JaneC did! Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnmynatt Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 I say send to more media. What are some other good contacts? I don't watch much tv. Rosie isn't still on tv is she? What about other talk show hosts? Let me know if I can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail Posted August 11, 2004 Share Posted August 11, 2004 I sent her an email after BeckyG and JudyB's deaths. I have also emailed Matt Lauer, following a show he did. Someone said his father had died, and also emailed Adam Sandler (his fater had died too).. I emailed Jim Thome (Phillies), whose mother has lung cancer now. Send to whoever you can think of. gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnyde Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 Jane Pauley has a new talk show this fall. Not sure what the format is going to be. But it may be another place we could email. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 This is NOT MEANT to burst anyone's bubble's, but it is a reminder. That I know of, over the last 6-7 years ALCASE, LUNG ONC GROUP, and many many others not associated with a group have contacted Oprah, Montel Williams, Rosie, 20/20, GMA, TODAY SHOW, and so on...... trying to get them to do SOMETHING for Lung Cancer Issues. Over and over and over I know that ALCASE has tired and nothing ever became of any of it SADLY ENOUGH!!! A bunch of us even sent emails weekly to the Oprah Show, Rosie Show (now off the air) 20/20 etc... for well over a month and still nothing ever became of it. NOW, having said that, I still think that ONE DAY, ONE of these TV shows will pick up on our plea and hopefully help us out. In the past, I have contacted our News Stations, and News Papers, and by doing so, I did get some attention. Our Local News Papers picked up several of Lung Cancer Survivors Stories and printed them. It's not Oprah, I know, but it IS a start. I also want to bring your attention to the Pres. Bush Letter on the top of this forum. Just keep those letters flowing. MORE IS BETTER! I NEVER SAY NEVER!!!! On ward and Up ward we go! God Bless and Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 Dear Jane C. Just wanted to correct something regarding our Website Name. We are NOT "Lung Cancer Survivors for Change" anymore! We are "Lung Cancer Support Community" Just wanted to make that known. The name was changed about 6 or so months ago. God Bless and Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest draiocht_bean_si Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneC Posted August 14, 2004 Author Share Posted August 14, 2004 Whoops! Thanks Connie for clueing me in on the correct name. I gotta tell you, when I sent the email to Oprah, I was in such a tizz (sp?) it's a wonder I remembered my own name. I was (am) so upset by David A's death, I just felt like I HAD to do SOMETHING. I know it's a long shot that she'll pick up the idea but agree we have to keep trying because someday someone may pick up the story. My gut feeling (and I really don't have much to base this on) is that the media may be more likely to listen to an idea from individuals than from an organization. Also, many womens magazines often have articles written by freelance authors. Has anyone here ever done anything like that before? I'd really like us to make a difference to honor all of the people we have lost to this crappy disease in the past few months. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 Well Cat if I had any good answer for you, you can beat I would share it ASAP! I don't! I can tell you that ALL those shows have been bombed with emails, letters, etc.... over the years. You might even be able to go back on the board here and see that we did it about a year or so ago. There might be some helpful hints. I'm sorry, I'm honestly NOT trying to rain on your parade and I wish there was something I could think of that would be of help. I have done all of what your doing for years with other groups, etc. and the only thing I can honestly tell you is this. We never made it to first base! Dave Grant 3 years ago started up an Activism Internet Site for lung cancer, and again, they did all the letter writing, and all the politicians, etc...... If you go to ALCASE's site you will find letters they have sent to politicians, etc.... And you can even copy these letters. YOUR IDEA'S ARE GOOD, I'm just saying that all of what your talking about has been done, over and over and over and over again, and ONE OF THESE TIMES, (GOD WILLING) SOMEONE HAS TO HEAR ONE OF US! My idea to you was to reach your Local News Stations and News Papers, to start out. Here in Minnesota a bunch of us Lung Cancer Survivors got together and declared the Month of November (LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTH) with our Gov. Then we went and had a Lung Cancer Awareness Event at our State Capitol two years in a row, to bring AWARENESS to Lung Cancer and to get MORE FUNDING for Lung Cancer. It's a LOT of work, but we put our hearts and lungs into bringing Awareness to Lung Cancer. We couldn't get ACS to join in with us, nor did we get any help from the News Papers or Stations in reporting our Event, DURING our Event. They did however, write up our stories before the events and after. (better then nothing)! Well, I could go on and on and on, but I honestly hope your in for the long haul. It's not an easy task and I just want to give you a heads up on some of the things that have been done over the years. I've done what your trying to do, a hundred times over, now it's someone elses turn to make a difference. I hope that person is YOU CAT!! GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephnewyork34 Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 Hi Jane, My mom, Judy B, (who passed on March 27, 2004) and I wrote to Oprah several times, with only the standard reply. I really want to get her involved, because she has worldwide coverage,. I haven't been on the board as much as I would like, because I am in Denmark on a film, and don't always get internet time, but can you please keep me in the loop on this one??? stepholivieri@hotmail.com I really want to do something to help this. I promised Mom and even if she was still here, we would be fighting together. Now I do it in her name, for her and her memeory. Steph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bean_si (Not Active) Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 I'd really like us to make a difference to honor all of the people we have lost to this crappy disease in the past few months. YES! What better gift. Success is there. I will guarrantee this with my heart, soul and mind. It's around the corner - a few more steps. You may feel as though you've spent so much useless energy. You may feel as though you've beaten your head on the wall and only ended up in pain. That's not so. You've started down a path and paved the first part of it so others can follow. And they will. You never know what step - what person - what letter - will catch their eye. But one of these days or these moments, there will be that person or that letter that will catch their eye. What if, in resignation, we all decided not to take one more step but it was THAT step that was the very one that counted. Don't give up. Do it for ourselves. Do in memory of the wonderful people we have known and loved. Good freaking gravy. Don't give up. Do It! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyCW Posted August 15, 2004 Share Posted August 15, 2004 I love all the enthusiasm here and am happy to see people writing letters to get more attention for the issues that concern us all so much. Like Connie said, the fact that many people have put in so much effort and not seen the results we hope for... does not mean we shouldn't keep trying. I have one thing to add. What we need is not to have our issues on one TV show, or one news segment, or have one "media champion," or ... one anything. Any of those things would (will) be fantastic, but they will be one step in a long road that we need to continue to build. So I guess I'm just saying that we need to be sure we have a focused effort that continues, not a one-shot goal to reach. (I know you all know this and I'm preaching to the choir.) The thing is... If we have an absolutely incredible show on Oprah... it will air, and a lot of people will see it (and a lot of people won't) and a lot of people will talk about it (and a lot of people won't) and a lot of people will agree with our points (and some people won't), ... and the next day we have to get up and start over again, because changing the way people think and the way the research dollars are spent and the way patients are treated... that takes a long-term, wide-spread effort. So... like Connie said, I'm not AT ALL trying to rain on anyone's parade. I hope every letter and every phone call and every fax finds a listening, caring person at the other end who will DO something to help make a difference... AND I think we need to plan for a marathon and not a sprint. Way to go! Keep on keepin' on! BeckyCW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bean_si (Not Active) Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyCW Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Cat, I am sorry, if you read my post as negative I haven't expressed myself very well. (And reading it again myself, I can see that.) I admire everything you and others are doing, and I think it's absolutely right. (There's no "but" coming! ) Surely there is nothing to be gained by being negative. I meant only to add that we need to strategize for the long term also -- to make the best possible use of each "win" we have (like an Oprah show, a media champion, etc.). It IS a hard fight (most important battles are), and success will be built from one victory after another, after another, after another. I pray you have every success in this and in your personal fight with this disease. I care deeply about every single person here, and about eradicating this disease. BeckyCW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bean_si (Not Active) Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay A. Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 In the June issue of Oprah's magazine, Oxygen, there is a short blurb type article on the dangers of cigarette smoking and how if people will just stop smoking they cut their risk of Lung Cancer to almost nothing within a matter of years. (Sorry, I don't have the magazine in front of me, so I can't quote the article or cite the page numbers.) I am appalled that this magazine, which is read by so many, continues to promote erroneous and dangerous information, especially in light of the recent discovery of genetic mutations which put anyone who has the mutation at risk for the development of Lung Cancer. It promotes a false sense of security for a population who is at increased risk for the development of Lung Cancer. Any way, this doesn't mean that someone out there isn't going to hear our voices...it just means we may need to yell louder and longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Ok Cat, not to be negative but cut that crap out. I don't know whether to fine you for deleting your posts or not taking your break after saying you were leaving for awhile. Drives me loopy when you do that delete thing... how much was that check you sent to LCSC, wondering if it covers your fines.....??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnmynatt Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 This blurb gives us an opportunity to respond with a letter to the editor. I will go get a magazine and write to them unless someone else wants to do it. Let's take action every opportunity we get. I will run it by some of you through email or PMs to make sure it is appropriate. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimblanchard Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 deleting all posts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay A. Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Thanks, Christina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindseysmom Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Hi Jane, I emailed Oprah also back in July. Hopefully the same person will get both emails so they can see there is a need for such a story. The Montel Williams did a show on the Barbara Tarbox story months ago. It was the most heart wrenching story I have seen. I emailed The Montel Williams show when that was aired and never heard anything from them. Maybe we just need to keep writing until someone will help us get the message out. Best Wishes, Dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bean_si (Not Active) Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 FWIW, I've written Oprah again. May be this one will catch her attention. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Keep trying Cat! and everyone! elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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