Legacy Comments on Bryant Gumbel's Lung Cancer Diagnosis

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Legacy Comments on Bryant Gumbel's Lung Cancer Diagnosis

12/8/2009

Statement by Cheryl G. Healton, Dr PH, President and CEO

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legacy^SM commends Bryant Gumbel, former anchor of NBC’s The Today Show and current host of Real Sports on HBO, for discussing his recent  lung cancer surgery on Live! With Regis & Kelly today. Reaching millions of viewers, Gumbel’s discussion of his surgery and prognosis is a reminder that over 100,000 Americans continue to suffer from lung cancer – the most fatal form of cancer.

Each year in the U.S., lung cancer claims nearly 160,000 lives. Cigarette smoking causes most cases (nearly 90 percent) of lung cancer,^[1] though other possible causes include radon, asbestos, and pollution.^[2] In addition, it is estimated that the direct medical cost for lung cancer treatment is nearly $5 billion each year.^[3]

Like Gumbel, who was a cigar smoker, millions of Americans who smoke are at risk of getting tobacco-related diseases, but many who smoke desperately want to quit, but may lack the tools or resources to quit effectively. Current research has shown that tobacco use will take the lives of nearly six million people next year alone. Today’s announcement comes a month after the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report revealed that 46 million adults in the U.S. were smokers in 2008, up from 19.8% in 2007. 

Legacy is working with the public health community, the media, policymakers and the public to raise awareness about the deadly impact of tobacco in hopes that Americans will not have to suffer from smoking-related diseases. EX^®, a national quit smoking campaign sponsored by the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation (NATC), is two-year collaboration of state and national public health groups spearheaded by Legacy. The program, available online at http://www.BecomeAnEX.org/, provides smokers with the tools and resources to help “re-learn” life without cigarettes. 

On behalf of Legacy, we wish Gumbel, his family and the many Americans who are also battling lung cancer all the best.

EX^® is a collaborative public health campaign presented by the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation, a partnership of the nation's leading public health organizations and states. The campaign helps smokers prepare to quit and guides them to useful resources that foster successful quit attempts including the EX plan, a free personalized quit plan available on the campaign’s Web site www.BecomeAnEX.org. EX is the culmination of several years of research and testing, combining an understanding of the power of nicotine addiction with messages that resonate with and motivate smokers toward behavior change. The EX approach is peer to peer and focuses on "re-learning life without cigarettes" by encouraging smokers to think differently about the process of quitting. The campaign, which began airing nationwide in March 2008, includes television, radio, online and out-of-home advertising. The EX Web site helps smokers create their own individual plan to quit and connects them to a virtual community of other smokers where they can share stories and strategies about quitting. Founding members of the NATC include numerous states and the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the National Cancer Institute, the American Legacy Foundation, C-Change, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and clinical partner, the Mayo Clinic.

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