As a lung cancer advocate from Mississippi, I am deeply concerned about proposed federal cuts to vital health programs. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., yet research, prevention and treatment efforts are at risk.

On Wednesday, April 9, I joined fellow advocates in Washington, D.C. to urge lawmakers, including those from Mississippi, to protect funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Medicaid. These programs have helped increase lung cancer survival rates by 44% and led to the approval of over 65 new treatments. One in four lung cancer patients relies on Medicaid, and access to screening and biomarker testing remains limited.

This is critical because it’s personal to me. My husband retired from the military. He always said they were given cigarettes along with MRE’s — for free. After retiring and smoking for 20 years, he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He lived 8 months after two brain surgeries, radiation and chemo. He never had any lung screening but always had regular checkups with his doctor. If screenings were part of normal yearly checkups, especially for smokers, his death could have been avoided. He never had any symptoms until it spread to his brain and he had a seizure. Then it was diagnosed and our world forever changed.

I urge readers to contact their members of Congress and demand they protect funding for NIH, CDC and Medicaid. Visit LUNGFORCE.org/AdvocacyDay to learn more and take action. 

Lung cancer research and prevention save lives — let’s ensure this progress continues.

Kim Whittington

Wesson