On A Wing and a Prayer Hope for Lung Cancer

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Anyone who has stood by someone facing this diagnosis knows the weight it carries for the person in treatment and for the people who love them. My family knows this fight well, too.

In its 2025 report, the American Lung Association put the national five-year survival rate for lung cancer at 29.7 percent, a 26 percent improvement over five years. Among people whose lung cancer was found at an early stage, the five-year survival rate was about 65 percent. Those figures describe outcomes across groups of people. Each person’s course is different. American Lung Association

Finding lung cancer early can improve the chances of successful treatment. Clinical trials found that screening with low-dose CT scans reduced lung cancer deaths among people at high risk. If you wonder whether screening is right for you, ask your healthcare professional. National Cancer Institute

As Thanksgiving approaches, I’m grateful for every breath. I pray for strength for those reeling from a diagnosis or in the thick of treatment, and for comfort for the families standing watch. I hope for discoveries that give more people more time with those they love.