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Why I'm "Here"

I did not choose to be on this Lung Cancer Patient/Advocacy Road; it chose me. Had my late mother not been diagnosed with late stage inoperable lung cancer, I can say with a fair amount of certainty, I would not be on this road. We never considered the possibility of lung cancer because we did not know the facts. Lung Cancer is Not Just for Smokers.
I became an advocate because I did not want one other family to face the shock that our family did. NO ONE IS IMMUNE from a lung cancer diagnosis. My goal is to empower people with information in order to give them a fighting chance. My goal is to reframe the issue of lung cancer in order to address the social stigma currently associated with the disease. My goal is to support increased lung cancer research to find the cure.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

San Francisco and the Fog

Just got back from the International Lung Cancer Conference in SF. While the fog hung over our heads every morning,eventually it did lift - just like the progress we are beginning to make with this disease. what incredible people- oncs from all over the world - this was by far the largest gathering of lung cancer specific professionals. I had the rare opportunity of speaking with the leaders of the field - those who are going to help us find the cure.
On the advocates side, I missed the meeting; was delayed because of a medical issue, I missed the bus - got extremely different feedback from those attending -for now let's just say it's not yet ready for primetime -- looking forward to the future - collaboration and consensus and being focused on the greater good.
The best and the brightest had time to talk to me and explain what they are doing. I feared not getting "out" - to be in SF and not walk one end of Powell to the other was not acceptable. I managed to see the Okeefe/Adams exhibit as well as the Chagall exhibit which I missed seeing in NYC.\

Had a glorious dinner with two special people at Gary Danko's. Highly recommended - no need for reservations if you sit at the bar. Also got to dance, dance, dance with folks you would not expect to be leaping out of their chairs - the guy from Ireland was great, as was the man from Tennessee (not Galilee)- didn't think the docs could move those hips.
New staging system for lung cancer - look forward to seeing surgeons with their cheat sheets trying to figure it all out.
More on the advocates side - we really need to reframe this issue - can't keep on talking about the stigma associated with lc - we keep on repeating ourselves.
More to come! Stay tuned
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