Popular Posts

  • Mabel Wilson's Lung Cancer Journey
    Mabel Wilson, now 91- 1/2 lives in Mount Savage, Maryland. Diagnosed with adenocarcinoma at age 90 she chose a right thoracotomy and right l...
  • The future of lung cancer advocacy
    What is lung cancer advocacy and what is the goal of those advocates? Are the "lung cancer advocacy groups" working at optimal ef...
  • 40th Woodstock anniversary
    While I was not at the festival - I was actually out of the country--there are times I feel I was there vicariously --- my late mother and ...
  • Communication: a new age old problem
    These days, probably been going on for a long time, trying to communicate is becoming increasingly problematic. Actually it's not the c...
  • well intended
    This past week was the anniversary of my mother's death as well as her birthday (on the solar calendar). It was a time for reflection o...
  • 2010 Summary
    What a year it has been. Most recently we finally were able to learn that the "definitive Study" on early detection of lung cance...
  • Meeting Mabel Wilson's Granddaughter
    It happens everytime; I go to a meeting, the theater or such and inevitably begin some dialogue with someone. That happened in DC several m...
  • Senator Orrin Hatch and Chanukah
    As a lung cancer patient advocate I must make every effort to be an optimist; ergo the name of our nonprofit contains the word hope. This F...
  • Lung Cancer Awareness is not an Oreo cookie
    Lately I have been discouraged by the notion that so many nonprofits regards driving their mission as synonymous with selling an oreo cookie...
  • (no title)
    Today is day one for this Blog and so I welcome all who will "hear me" and accompany me on the Trek- the arduous journey to find t...

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
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)