Pulmonary Medical Association Displays White Ribbons to Raise Awareness for Lung Cancer Screening and Early Detection
November 1, 2024
Glenview, IL – During the month of November, the American College of
Chest Physicians (CHEST) will display white ribbons around its Glenview
headquarters at 2595 Patriot Boulevard to raise awareness for lung
cancer screening and early detection.
According to the
World Health Organization
(WHO), lung cancer kills more people yearly than breast, colon, and
prostate cancers combined, and there are 2.1 million lung cancer cases
worldwide. The risk of death can be drastically reduced through early
detection of cancer and appropriate treatment.
“Lung Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity for us to shine the
spotlight on a disease that is impacting the lives of so many,” says
Robert Musacchio, PhD, CEO of CHEST. “As a society of 22,000 respiratory
professionals, we continuously provide the latest resources to our
members, including the latest guidelines for lung cancer screening.
Leveraging the awareness month, we want to spread the message throughout
our local community that the best way to combat lung cancer is through
early screening and detection.”
To identify and diagnose lung cancer in its earlier stages, it is
recommended to seek lung cancer screening with a low-dose tomography
scan (also known as low-dose CT or LDCT scan). Individuals who meet
the below criteria are considered to be at high risk for developing
lung cancer and should be screened:
To secure the ribbons, CHEST worked with an organization called the
White Ribbon Project,
which promotes awareness about lung cancer by changing public
perception of the disease. Started by lung cancer survivor, Heidi
Onda, and her husband, Pierre Onda, MD, the ribbon has spurred a
movement to build community, reframe education, increase awareness,
and remove the stigma against the lung cancer community.
"We are grateful for the advocacy and support of the American
College of Chest Physicians in raising awareness for lung cancer,"
says Heidi. "We believe as a team of survivors, caregivers, those
who have lost loved ones, advocates, the medical and science
communities, industry representatives, advocacy organizations,
legislators, and cancer centers that we can change the public
perception of lung cancer. Anyone with lungs can get lung cancer, no
one deserves it, and awareness and early detection of the disease
are crucial."
To help raise awareness for lung cancer during November, those local
to the Glenview area are encouraged to take pictures with the
ribbons along Patriot Boulevard and post to social media with the
hashtag #LungCancerAwareness and a message stressing the importance
of early screening.
View the WHO fact sheet on lung cancer »
Read the CHEST lung cancer guidelines »
Learn more about the White Ribbon Project »
About the American College of Chest Physicians
The American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is the global
leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest
diseases. Its mission is to champion advanced clinical practice,
education, communication, and research in chest medicine. It serves
as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for
its 22,000+ members from around the world who provide patient care
in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. For information
about the American College of Chest Physicians and its family of
journals, including the flagship journal CHEST®,
visit chestnet.org.
