FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2006
CONTACT: Tom Simon (770) 451-4749

Dunwoody, GA − The Lung Cancer Caring Ambassadors Program (LCCAP), a national nonprofit organization providing information and encouragement to people with lung cancer, and raising lung cancer awareness, is deeply saddened to learn of the death of actress Dana Reeve and sends heartfelt condolences to Ms. Reeve’s family and loved ones.

Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of American men and women of all ethnicities, killing more people each year than breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers combined. Each day, 450 people in the U.S. die of lung cancer. An estimated 163,000 Americans lose their lives each year to lung cancer.

LCCAP President Tom Simon noted, “The death of Dana Reeve is a tragedy, as is the death of every lung cancer patient. Dana Reeve’s death, along with Peter Jennings and other high profile celebrities, brings lung cancer to the front pages of newspapers, the television news, and talk shows all over the country. However, past history shows us that shortly after the outrage is played out in the various media, lung cancer regresses back into anonymity, back to being a stigmatized disease. Dana Reeve was a staunch advocate for change, and that legacy challenges us to change the status quo. Funding from the public and private sectors are desperately needed for patient advocacy for those already with lung cancer, for early detection for those at risk for the disease, and for research to improve treatment efficacy and cure rates. The dollars spent for lung cancer research pale in comparison to the amounts invested in breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer, despite the fact that lung cancer kills more Americans annually than all of these cancers combined. Dana Reeve left us a legacy of turning personal tragedy into a call-to-action; we owe it to her and all the others who have lost their lives to lung cancer to heed that call.”

LCCAP Medical Director, Dr. Tina St. John stated, “Dana Reeve’s death is a devastating loss. We empathize with her loved ones and the grief they face; we wish them comfort. In our work at LCCAP, we frequently find ourselves in the shadow of grief and loss because of the exceptionally deadly nature of lung cancer, which routinely claims the lives of the people we serve each day. While there is nothing we can do or say that will ease the acute pain and sense of loss for those who loved Ms. Reeve, we offer them our sincerest condolences and pledge to continue our work in the name of all the precious lives lost to lung cancer. Early detection is a must. As a society, it is unconscionable to allow the body count due to lung cancer to continue unchecked.”

For additional information about the Lung Cancer Caring Ambassadors Program, contact Tom Simon at 1-(770) 451-4749 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit the LCCAP Internet site at www.lungcancercap.org.