Sandhills_Sentinel

Lung cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers in the United States, and it is the leading cause of cancer deaths annually. The American Cancer Society estimates 228,150 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2019, while 142,670 people will die from the disease, more than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas, in partnership with GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, will host the 11th annual Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event from 6 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14 at the Clara McLean House, 20 FirstVillage Drive, Pinehurst.

Free and open to the public, the program will include the personal stories of lung cancer survivors and information on the latest advances in lung cancer treatment. A lighting ceremony will be held in the Clara McLean House Healing Gardens, weather permitting.

The local event will be one of more than 200 Shine a Light events held across the country during November, which is Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Overall, the chance that a man will develop lung cancer in his lifetime is about 1 in 15; for a woman, the risk is about 1 in 17. These numbers include both smokers and non-smokers. For smokers, the risk is much higher, while for non-smokers the risk is lower.

The rate of new lung cancer cases in North Carolina is 69.2 per 100,000 people, higher than the national rate of 60.5.

For more information or to register for FirstHealth’s Shine a Light on Lung Cancer event, call (800) 213-3284. For more information on cancer services provided by FirstHealth of the Carolinas, visit www.nccancercare.org.

 

Contributed

Print Friendly, PDF & Email