LCA lobbies – Part 3 – Personal Assistance
27 Mar 2008 by Wendi Lewis under Organizations, PeoplePersonal assistance to those with lung cancer
In addition to its lobbying efforts, the other main focus of the Lung Cancer Alliance is to provide care and counseling to patients diagnosed with lung cancer. A big part of this is to help patients find clinical trials for new medications.
“Right now, there are only about three, maybe four, drugs that are approved for treating lung cancer,” explains Rear Admiral Phil Coady, U.S. Navy (Ret.), chairman of the board for the LCA. “Once you get past that, you’re on your own and there’s nothing else.”
The next step can be participation in a clinical trial testing new cancer-fighting drugs. The LCA has a screening process to help patients find a trial that fits their situation.
“It’s bewildering trying to figure out what’s a good trial for you and what you’re eligible for,” Coady said. “We ask patients questions about their progression, what they are willing to do, where they live, lots of other questions, and then we can process that information against a database of ongoing clinical trials and match a patient to where they are a good fit. It gives them another avenue to try something else, to keep hoping.”
They also provide patient support services like the Phone Buddy program, a peer-to-peer support network for people with lung cancer and their family members and caregivers, as well as an online forum where lung cancer survivors and their families can network with other people who are struggling with the illness.
Finally, LCA strives simply to raise awareness about lung cancer, and to promote early screening.
“Our goal is to save lives. Simple as that,” Coady said.
For more information about LCA and its programs, visit www.lungcanceralliance.org or call the Lung Cancer Information Line at 800-298-2436. Tap into the LCA Survivors Community online at http://lungcancer.clinicahealth.com. Call the Phone Buddy program at 800-298-2436.
