by Margie O’Hara
On Saturday, November 21, 2015, an informative and supportive lung cancer vigil was held in the Inlet Town Hall. Adele Burnett, whose father died of lung cancer, and myself, whose brother also died of lung cancer, organized the small gathering which was one of hundreds held around the United States and a few in foreign countries.
The welcoming vigil was followed by a blessing of those in attendance by Rev. Lawrence Bartel of Niccolls Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Julie Zaykoski, LPN of Thendara gave an interesting and informative update on lung cancer diagnosis and treatment and shared her personal experiences.
The names of those who have died of the disease in our area were displayed on the memory table. Some shared photos of loved ones, and a few shared their own personal stories.
Lawrence Bartel, Nancy Jennings, Alicia Burnett and I read the names out loud and those present paused to remember them.
The group also took a moment to recognize those in the area who are currently battling lung cancer or have a relative who is.
Adele closed the gathering with a call to action by asking everyone to take a minute and contact their Representative and ask them to join the recently formed Congressional Lung Cancer Caucus.
Refreshments, including delicious cupcakes compliments of Trish Sehring, and camaraderie were enjoyed after the ceremony.
The Lung Cancer Alliance sponsors these vigils and other events to bring attention to this disease. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
But because of blame, shame and stigma it is not recognized by the federal government they way it could be.
How can you help? Be an advocate. Stand up. Be visible. Be heard. For yourself. For someone you love. For someone you lost.
Go to www.lungcanceralliance.org and under the GET INVOLVED tab click on Impacting Policy. Then click on Contact Your Elected Official for an easy form letter you can chose to deliver by email or print out and mail to your U.S. House Representative.