Who We Are

Free ME from Lung  Cancer is a non-profit organization. We are dedicated to raising money for lung cancer research, education, advocacy, and community support. We are committed to making lung cancer a national priority.

Our Mission

To decrease the suffering caused by a diagnosis of lung cancer by raising much-needed money for lung cancer research, education, and community support.

Facts About Lung Cancer

• An average of about 156,000 lives is lost annually to lung cancer.
• Lung cancer causes more deaths than the three other most common cancers combined (colorectal cancer 51,020, breast cancer 42,260, prostate cancer 31,620).
• Lung cancer accounts for 24% of all cancer deaths.
• Lung cancer kills an average of 393 people every day.
• Every 3.7 minutes someone dies of lung cancer.
• Lung cancer kills about 1.5 times as many women as breast cancer and about 2.5 times as many men as prostate cancer.
• Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer among women, surpassing breast cancer in 1987.
• Lung cancer kills 181 women every day – 7.5 per hour, one death every 8 minutes.
• Since the peak death rate for men in 1990, the death rate for men has fallen 48%. Since the peak death rate for women in 2002 the death rate for women has fallen 23%.
• 1 in 16 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime – 1 in 15 men and 1 in 17 women.
• The median age at diagnosis is 70; 70% of lung cancer diagnoses are in people 65 or older.
• Every 2.3 minutes someone is told that he or she has lung cancer.
• Only 16% of people will be diagnosed in the earliest stage when the disease is most treatable.
• Lung cancer has the lowest 5-year survival rate of the three other most common cancers. Only 19%.
• The 5-year survival rate for the three other most common cancers are ~ prostate 98%, breast 89%, and colorectal 64%.
• Just over half of women 53% diagnosed with lung cancer will survive one year. About one-quarter (24% will survive five years).
• Among women, the lifetime risk of dying of lung cancer is 1.75 times greater than the lifetime risk of dying of breast cancer.

Citation from SEER statistics. https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975 2016