On Tuesday, November 7th, 2006 Mendocino County joined the U.S. Congress, California and many of its counties in declaring November to be Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Sara O’Donnell, Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County (CRCMC) accepted a proclamation put forth by Robert Pond of the coast chapter of the Lung Cancer Alliance to the members of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.  The CRCMC appreciated the concern that community leaders expressed about the threat of lung cancer and urge everyone to think of every month as cancer awareness month.

The National Cancer Society estimated in their 2006 report that this year there will be 60 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed in Mendocino County, and that 40 people from Mendocino County with lung cancer will die from it. Mr. Pond reported to the County Board of Supervisors that nationally, “Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women, killing more Americans than all of the other major cancers combined. And yet, most lung cancers are diagnosed at end stage when the 5-year survival rate is just 15 percent. Despite these statistics, lung cancer receives the lowest amount of research funding ($1,800 per lung cancer death, compared to $25,000 per breast cancer death and $18,000 per prostate cancer death).”

Many different organizations are joining together to educate the public about this important issue.  The Lung Cancer Alliance California (LCAC) and the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Care Center presented a panel of lung cancer specialists, patients, and advocates on November 17th who spoke about new insights and new hope in the fight against lung cancer.  Many of these individuals and organizations are driven to change the social stigma of lung cancer from a disease that is “deserved” to one where patients are treated with compassion and dignity.  The LCA states that “even if all smoking stopped tomorrow, lung cancer would be with us for decades,” placing emphasis on the fact that the majority of those diagnosed with lung cancer today are ex-smokers or non-smokers.  Therefore, rather than stigmatizing those who have lung cancer, our efforts would be better served by continuing to offer support to them and by funding programs that research early diagnosis and effective treatment programs.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer, there are many resources in the community that are available to you.  The Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County (CRCMC) can assist with medical appointment preparation, patient navigation, an array of books, videos and other materials with information about lung cancer and treatments, and referrals to community services.  All services are provided free of charge.  The Lung Cancer Alliance can also help those diagnosed with lung cancer by offering peer support, a toll-free hotline, and an online lung cancer survivor’s network, not to mention a wealth of online resources and information.

To contact the Lung Cancer Alliance, call 1-800-298-2436, Monday through Friday, 8-5 Eastern Time, or you can visit their website at www.lungcanceralliance.org.  The Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County are a local grassroots resource with two offices in Mendocino County.  The Ukiah office is located on South Dora Street, and can be reached at 467-3828 from 9-5 Mon-Thurs, and Fri by appt.  The Mendocino/Coast office is located on Calpella Street in Mendocino, and can be reached at 937-3833 from 8:30-4:30, Mon-Thurs, and Fri by appt.  To get more information about the CRCMC, or to view the National Lung Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation, visit the CRCMC website at www.crcmendocino.org.

(Published in The Mendocino Beacon and the Fort Bragg Advocate on November 30th, 2006.)