Lung Cancer Alliance-California Issues Inaugural State-Specific Report Card on L...( California Receives Failing Marks...),Health

California Receives Failing Marks for its Lack of Overall Plan and Sense of Urgency

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Lung Cancer Alliance-CA (LCA-CA) issued its 1st annual Report Card on Lung Cancer in the state of California and gave failing grades to the state for its lack of progress in reducing lung cancer mortality which claims more lives in California each year than all other major cancer combined.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081016/LCALOGO )

LCA-CA is a chapter of Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA), the only national organization dedicated exclusively to patient support and advocacy for people living with or at risk for lung cancer.

While the first California Report Card is being issued today, LCA has issued four national report cards to date which have become a keystone of lung cancer awareness month activities each November.

"We are so proud to launch this inaugural State Report Card on Lung Cancer in California," said Mike Stevens, LCA-CA State Co-Chairman. "Now Californians have a tool for measuring each year the state's commitment and progress on lung cancer mortality.

"We are hopeful that this annual assessment and grading system will force the public health community to act with a greater sense of urgency and with a more comprehensive approach to reversing decades of stigma and neglect too long attached to lung cancer," he said.

This first California report card gives the state an F in all categories: Number of Deaths; 5-year Survival Rate; Newly Addicted Young Smokers; State Supported Research; State Supported Early Detection Program; and State Supported Cancer Plan.

"This 2008 Report Card could not make it any clearer," said Gloria Hvode, LCA-CA State Co-Chair. "We need change."

"Lung cancer was declared a national public health priority by the U.S. Congress last year, so
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