LUNGevity Foundation, the nation’s leading lung cancer–focused nonprofit organization, recently announced the launch of the LUNGevity Action Network, a new engagement program that enables lung cancer advocacy at many levels. The Action Network empowers advocates to engage in awareness and policy actions to help drive change and improve the lives and outcomes of those affected by the disease.
Lung cancer is a historically stigmatized and underfunded disease. The lung cancer community needs a powerful and unified way to bring about change. Those who sign up to be members of the Action Network will be offered two avenues for action. Through awareness-related actions, members can help educate, engage, and empower their community by sharing their personal story, creating and posting important information on social media, and distributing educational materials locally to spread facts and information about lung cancer. Through policy-related actions, members can make their voices heard on issues that affect the lung cancer community by taking actions such as writing their congressional representatives, signing petitions, and commenting on new regulations.
The LUNGevity Action Network will serve to amplify LUNGevity’s ongoing policy work. In February 2020, LUNGevity released the Lung Cancer Scorecard, a state-by-state analysis comparing access to screening, comprehensive biomarker testing, and clinical trials to uncover disparities in lung cancer patient care based on location, and to offer viable solutions to achieve health-care equity. This report laid out specific areas that need to be addressed to improve care in each state. With the Action Network, there will be opportunities for advocates to easily advocate for solutions, such as advocating for improved Medicaid coverage for services, giving LUNGevity’s efforts a deeper impact.
