Ms. Jane E.

Brody
Personal Health
ScienceTimes
The New York Times
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, New York 10018

Dear Ms. Brody,
A few months ago, I asked if you would consider a story about lung cancer individualized treatments
and my 10 year battle with lung cancer as I believe it would raise needed awareness and give hope to
others impacted by lung cancer.
In recognition of my 10th anniversary since I was diagnosed, I produced a professional broadcast
quality video titled Richards Rays of Hope by turning a negative diagnosis into a positive way of
life for me. I thought my story would resonate with you for many reasons but also because you lost
your husband to lung cancer.
I was shocked to receive the following reply from you, I wish you continued good luck fighting this
killer. But pls understand my reluctance to bring false hope to the vast majority of lung cancer
patients for whom your experience does not apply. Jane
I was even more surprised to read your recent article in The New York Times, titled, Outsmarting
Breast Cancer. You wrote, Over the past few decades, changes in the treatment of breast cancer
amount to a revolution in patient care. And its not over yet..Patients now are encouraged to
become well informed about their disease and possible therapies and to participate in treatment
decisions.
This juxtaposition of sentiment left me stunned. Has breast cancer so corned the market of hope that
the most stigmatized disease, lung cancer, with exciting developments and breakthroughs underway,
would continue to be shut out? Unfortunately, your comments have done nothing more than reinforce
that this indeed is the case and that lung cancers stigma remains deeply entrenched in the publics
mind.
I know I am not the norm when it comes to lung cancer survival but instead of false hope, I believe I
can be an inspiration for others to keep fighting. I also believe an article in The New York Times
could help inform patients about major advancements in molecular testing and targeted therapies that
are on the rise for lung cancer. In addition, we now have one of the most dramatic scientific
breakthroughs for the early detection of lung cancer that not only will result in tens of thousands of
lives saved but provides a new platform to accelerate research into all aspects of the disease.
Certainly, there is no false hope in that.
As you wrote in your breast cancer article, Dr. Hudis, Chief of breast cancer medicine service at
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, said, Treatment today is getting more
individualized. You concluded with Still with nearly 40,000 breast cancer deaths annually in the
country, more needs to be done.
I was fortunate to test positive for the ALK gene in 2010 which made me a candidate for an
individualized treatment clinical trial. This treatment has now been approved by FDA and available
to tens of thousands of lung cancer patients all around the world. There will be numerous
individualized treatments for lung cancer patients. No longer will the majority all have the same
treatment.
I consider myself a reluctant advocate. Since 160,000 people die every year of lung cancer we do not
have many voices to raise awareness for lung cancer. I wish we had a celebritys face and voice like
Michael J. Fox who is advocating for Parkinson's. But as you know most celebrities do not want to
be associated with lung cancer due to the smoking stigma.

So I am not about false hope but really about how lung cancer does not have to be a death sentence
but treatable and wonderfully live-able. I believe the revolution in patient care you described in
breast cancer is greater in lung cancer since lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer.

I hope you re-consider your thoughts about my story because I believe lung cancer patients and their
families could use some hope, information and inspiration about for the new revolution in lung
cancer patient care.

Sincerely,
Richard
Lung cancer Survivor
Lung cancer Advocate
Lung Cancer Alliance Board Director