29 Days.

On December 10, just 29 days after receiving her diagnosis, we lost Elza Letourneau to lung cancer. It’s hard to fathom how quickly it all happened—just two days before her diagnosis, she was dancing joyfully at a wedding, the very picture of health for a vibrant 63-year-old. She had never smoked a day in her life, yet she was diagnosed with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer that had already spread to her bones, her brain, and other organs—just as it had done to her mother four years earlier.

This holiday season, may we reflect on the fragility of health and the urgent need for change. The more we learn about lung cancer, its devastating prevalence among women and the glaring underrepresentation of women in research, the more we feel called to act.

Here are the facts we cannot ignore: 

• Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer for women globally, claiming approximately 1.2 million lives each year.
• Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer disproportionately affects women more than men.
• Most cases are discovered late, when the disease has already metastasized
• About 50% of women diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked, challenging the stereotypes surrounding this  disease
• Women remain critically underrepresented in lung cancer research, making up only 38–40% of clinical trial participants. This gap leaves vital questions unanswered—like how biological factors such as hormones influence the disease’s progression and treatment

Elza's story isn’t unique, and that’s what makes it so heartbreaking. Too many women—mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends—are taken far too soon by a disease we still don’t fully understand.

By supporting women-led research into EGFR Lung Cancer, we can work toward better treatments, earlier diagnoses, and, most importantly, hope for those still fighting.

Since 2017, EGFR Resisters has grown into a global network of 6,000 patients and caregivers across more than 100 countries. Together, we’ve raised over $1 million for vital research, created life-changing resources, and provided support tailored to the unique challenges of EGFR-positive lung cancer. But there’s still so much more to do.

As we look to the year ahead, we’re committed to addressing critical issues like brain metastasis, leptomeningeal disease, and combination treatments, while expanding resources to improve survivorship and quality of life for everyone impacted by lung cancer.

Please donate today to help us meet the evolving needs of our community.

 LUNGevity Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law. 

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