COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lung cancer remains the No. 1 cause of cancer-related death among both men and women, but funding to better understand the disease and how to prevent and treat it remains low. Local nonprofit Breath of Hope Ohio will host its 7th annual gala on May 20 to raise critical funds to support lung cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. The organization’s mission is the bring hope to the people impacted by this disease and fund the innovative research needed to create a future without lung cancer. The Breath of Hope Ohio Gala was created by Sandy and Mark Lomeo after Mark was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2014, which was also when they learned about the severe lack of funding for lung cancer compared with other forms of cancer. All proceeds from the annual dinner gala directly benefit the Blue Beautiful Skies Fund for lung cancer research and public awareness efforts at the OSUCCC – James. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $1 million. Lung cancer can impact smokers and nonsmokers Although lung cancer is often thought of as a condition that impacts only smokers and former smokers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 10-20% of new lung cancer cases occur in people who have never smoked. Secondhand smoke and radon are among the leading risk factors for non-smoker related lung cancers. While lung cancer screening among those at the highest risk for the disease has resulted in more people being diagnosed in the earliest stages, most cases are still discovered when the disease has spread to other parts of the body and “cure” isn’t likely. “The good news is that research discoveries are improving treatment outcomes for our patients and extending life expectancy. Five-year survival has doubled in the last two decades – which is unprecedented. Lung cancer screening is helping us find cancers in their earliest stages, and we have more treatment options than we ever did for advanced lung cancer,” says David Carbone, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist and director of the Thoracic Oncology Center at The OSUCCC – James. “There is hope, and we must continue to push to do better for patients and families impacted by this disease.” Breath of Hope Ohio funding impact Support from Breath of Hope Ohio has helped the OSUCCC – James develop a lung cancer screening program. Data gathered through this program helped the team earn an additional $3 million grant to operate a mobile lung cancer screening van. This community outreach effort – expected to launch in 2024 – will help lung cancer experts connect with patients in the community who would otherwise not have access to screening. Pilot research funding from Breath of Hope Ohio has also supported research looking at how gut bacteria can influence immunotherapy response in patients undergoing treatment for lung cancer. This work is being continued through a larger National Institutes of Health-funded study. The Breath of Hope Ohio Gala will take place Saturday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at The Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St., Columbus. The business casual dinner event will include a survivors reception followed by presentations from a lung cancer expert, research advocate and lung cancer survivor. Individual and group tickets, as well as sponsorship opportunities, are available. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit breathofhopeohio.org/gala. ###