DETROIT — (March 29, 2023) — Today, Michigan resident and lung cancer survivor, Alonzita Henderson, met with her members of Congress in Washington, D.C during the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day.
As a part
of the nationwide event, Henderson joined more than 40 other people across the
country who have been impacted by lung cancer to ask
lawmakers to support $51 billion in research funding for the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), $11.6 billion in funding for the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and to support
and protect Medicaid.
Henderson was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer and later the
cancer metastasized into her gluteus muscle, resulting in a stage IV lung
cancer diagnosis. She had to endure a lot of physical and emotional pain
throughout her treatment, but she persevered through it and received the
necessary care to overcome her illness.
“In October of 2022, I was given the good news that my cancer was in remission. At present, I'm back to work, and I'm back to attending my granddaughters' activities, and caring for my mother.”
During Advocacy Day, Henderson spoke with U.S.
Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and U.S. Representatives Elissa
Slotkin and Haley Stevens to share her personal experience with lung cancer and
explain why investments in public health, research funding and quality and
affordable healthcare are important to her.
The
American Lung Association launched LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day in 2016 to ask
members of Congress to support robust, sustainable and
predictable federal funding increases for lung cancer research, prevention
and quality and affordable healthcare. As a part of Advocacy Day, LUNG FORCE
Heroes have succeeded in helping increase NIH lung cancer research funding by
over 115%.
Since 2016, more than 50 new therapies have been approved by the FDA to treat lung cancer—giving more hope to those impacted by this disease. In 2022, Heroes successfully urged Congress to extend funding for tax credits so more than three million Americans were able to keep affordable healthcare coverage through the federal and state marketplaces.
Henderson encourages others in Michigan to advocate for lung cancer
research and healthcare protections by contacting their members of Congress,
which they can do at Lung.org/AdvocacyDay. Learn more about Henderson’s story and the LUNG FORCE initiative at LUNGFORCE.org.
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About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading
organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung
disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung
Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to
champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung
disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more
information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from
Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the
work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit:?
Lung.org 
