Welcome to 'Crush it with Bev,' where my urgency to drive change meets the stigma of smoking. The gravity of my message underscores the significant hurdles lung cancer faces. Over the past five years, I've been fortunate to live well with stage 4 lung cancer. However, far too many lives are lost because the symptoms are subtle, screening is limited, and most diagnoses are at advanced stages. In North America, lung cancer deaths surpass breast, prostate, and colon cancer deaths combined.
I grew up when the media glamorized smoking, and the public wasn't aware of the dangers of tobacco, nor its power to addict. Thankfully, global smoking rates are declining; however, the population of never-smokers, including me, now represent up to 25% of those diagnosed.
Scientific advances are making remarkable strides, especially in genetic testing of one's lung cancer mutation. It's paving the way for personalized and precise therapies tailored to each patient's unique mutation. These targeted therapies extend our lives and allow many to live high-quality lives. Yet, progress is far from complete. Extensive efforts are needed to transform lung cancer into a manageable, chronic disease akin to diabetes.
Many associate lung cancer with smoking, yet radon gas and asbestos exposure, family history, and pollution are risks. Lung cancer is a complex disease requiring investment in public education, research, medical education, specialized equipment and diagnostic tools. It's no surprise hospital budgets are stretched. I aim to drive change by lowering barriers and propelling lung cancer research, education, and patient care advancements at Sunnybrook Hospital.
Your support makes a tangible difference for Sunnybrook's dedicated lung cancer specialists and their patients, including me. Please join our community to advance lung cancer progress. I'm immensely grateful for your support over the past four years, and I hope we'll have a significant impact in 2025.
I appreciate your support from the bottom of my heart and lungs! Bev