Lung Cancer Awareness Month – LCAM – observed annually in November, highlights the need for more research to be conducted while cultivating a better understanding of the disease and its challenges.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women worldwide.
The disease remains difficult to identify and many individuals don’t experience any symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage.
The GLCC recognises the overwhelming body of evidence showing that screening for lung cancer using low-dosage CT scans is an effective way of improving rates of early diagnosis (when the most effective range of treatment options are usually open) and outcomes for those affected. We offer a range of advocacy support tools for those seeking to effect change in healthcare policy to secure national screening programmes in their region. You can access those resources here.
This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we seek to educate and inform those around us regarding the facts pertaining to lung cancer, including its causes, signs, symptoms, routes to diagnosis. We also seek to promote better understanding of how and why false conceptions and narratives, and therefore prejudice, can often surround lung cancer.
You can get involved by liking and sharing our social media posts – and by making us aware of your own local initiatives and campaigns.
We wish all our member organisations every success in their efforts to promote greater awareness of lung cancer and its signs and symptoms. Above all, we stand alongside everyone affected by lung cancer and those striving every day to improve their experience and outcomes.
Throughout the month, we will update this page with messaging and initiatives from our various member organisations, to reflect their LCAM activities. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Please visit the sites or social media channels of our member organisations to see what they offer.
In the UK, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation is running a campaign called ‘Be Unforgettable’ throughout the month to combat the misconceptions that are too often associated with #lungcancer. These misunderstandings can prevent people seeking medical help at the earliest opportunity. Delays in diagnosis can, in turn, lead to poorer outcomes for people who have lung cancer.
