November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
Lung Cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, making it Australia’s biggest cancer killer. In 2023, there were nearly 15,000 new cases of the disease diagnosed, and almost 8,700 deaths. For the year, this averaged to around 23 deaths a day. Most Australians (85%) are diagnosed in the late stages, when surgical options are limited, and survival rates decrease.
Despite this, Lung Cancer often falls to the wayside in terms of research, funding, and support.
Lung Foundation Australia is the nation’s leading body for lung health, committed to improving Australian lives by championing life-saving research, programs, and services.
‘There has been lower funding for aspects of lung cancer for decades because of the stigma,’ says Christa Bayer, General Manager at the Lung Foundation. ‘People invariably associate it with smoking, and they think people have brought it on themselves. But the only thing that lung cancer patients have in common, is they all have lungs. Anybody can get lung cancer and we don’t believe that people deserve to get cancer.’
For November, the Lung Foundation are hosting their annual Shine A Light campaign across the country, empowering Australians living with lung cancer, and raising awareness and funds for the brutal disease.
The Shine A Light campaign involves engaging Australians in community walks in their local cities, and lighting lanterns to honour those living with the disease, those who lost their battle, and the families touched by lung cancer. The Purple Lantern is for remembering a loved one, the Orange Lantern is for people living with lung cancer, and the Green Lantern is to show support for the lung cancer community.
‘It is a beautiful event,’ says Christa. ‘People come together and we have a moment of reflection. We light our lanterns, honour the impacted, and we take a gentle, reflective walk to raise funds and support for lung cancer research.’
Over the last 14 years, the Lung Foundation has been holding Shine A Light, and with every year, the number of people participating grows, and the target fundraising goal is exceeded. This year, the Lung Foundation have set a fundraising goal of $200,000.
‘[Funding] supports our research grants into lung cancer,’ explains Christa. ‘And our specialist lung cancer nurse program, our telehealth program where people are seeking support as they navigate what is a tragic diagnosis.’
In 2024, the community walks will be held in major cities – Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Wollongong, Melbourne ¬– among smaller locales. In Sydney, on Saturday the 2nd of November at 5.30PM, the Shine A Light community walk will be held in Bradfield Park, Milsons Point, consisting of a 3km walk towards the harbour shoreline using the Luna Park boardwalk.
For more information, visit fundraise.lungfoundation.com.au/shinealightonlungcancer