The Morning Sentinel

June 10

Pingree, Snowe join fight against lung cancer

Last month, I made a trip to Washington, D.C. to speak with legislative assistants of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Sen. Olympia Snowe regarding the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act Bill.

I recently have learned that both Snowe and Pingree have agreed to co-sponsor this history-making piece of legislation. Congressman Mike Michaud signed on as co-sponsor after I spoke with him last fall.

Maine is surely leading the way on this crucial piece of legislation, which is in both the House and Senate and calls for a 50 percent reduction in the mortality of lung cancer by 2016.

Most people, if asked to name the cancer responsible for the most deaths in women, might say breast cancer. But, in fact, it is lung cancer. Sadly, more women lose their lives to lung cancer than to breast, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers combined.

Although lung cancer is widely viewed as a disease caused by smoking, one in five who are diagnosed never smoked, and this number is increasing at an alarming rate. In fact, the vast number of men and women who are diagnosed with lung cancer today quit smoking decades ago.

Whether you are a current smoker (20 percent), former smoker (60 percent) or never smoker (20 percent), no one deserves lung cancer.

Thanks to Snowe, Pingree and Michaud for taking the step toward ending lung cancer in our life time by co-sponsoring this legislation.

Deb Violette, chairwoman

Maine Lung Cancer Association

Augusta