On Thursday November 3, 2011 I attended the first annual Hope Gala in New York City. The Hope Gala was hosted by Diana Fusco, director of grassroots for LUNGevity Foundation. Diana held this Gala in honor of her mother, Kathryn Fusco, who has passed away from lung cancer. The Gala began at 6:30 with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner, and a live auction to raise funds for the next Hope Summit. During the Gala I was able to meet with my fellow survivors and co-survivors, be a part of awareness for the night, and tell my personal story with lung cancer. I recieved the Kathryn Fusco Humanitarian Award for 2011 that night. I gave a speech which I have attached below.

Let's not forget that this month is lung cancer awareness month!

More events to come, more awareness to get out, and more funding to be acquired to find the cure..
let's do it together NOW!
Find events at http://www.lungevity.org/
And check back to my blog for more South Jersey events hosted by me!

UPDATE!

Thank you everyone who attended the 8th Annual Heather Saler's Walk for the Cure of Lung Cancer! Also, thank you for those who generously donated toward my team for the walk.
My team came in 3rd for the highest funds raised, and I was number one as an individual raising the most funds!!

As of November 10, 2011 the overall goal of this walk has not been achieved. However, there is still time to donate!
The goal of this walk was: $90,000
The funds that have been achieved are: $63,511.40
In addition, a total of: 431 participants
My personal goal for my team was: $8,000
The funds that I have been able to raise in total is: $3, 696.40
CLICK HERE to be redirected to my team page. There you will be able to donate to this walk and my overall goal for my team.

Let us not forget that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer, and kills more people than breast, prostate, colorectal, leukemia, and melanoma cancers combined.

On October 23, 2011 as I was walking in New York City at Breathe Deep NYC.

The goal is this LUNGevity walk was: $200,000

The funds achieved, as of November 7, 2011 are: $232, 571.00

In addition a total of: 1,321 participants

On the same morning of October 23, 2011 in Pennsauken, NJ (same location of the 8th Annual Heather Saler's Walk for the Cure of Lung Cancer), a Breast Cancer walk was held from American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

I have just found out the official numbers as of November 7, 2011..and it is heartbreaking to say the least.

The American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk raised a total of: $580,000

In addition a total of: 13,000 participants

Breast Cancer is certainly making strides indeed. However, it is at the cost of other people's lives. Why do we not hear about any other cancer? How has breast cancer become so popular? Why are the funding for other cancers so deprived? It is most shocking when you actually know the statistics, know loved ones who have not had a chance for survival because of the lack of funding, and YOU are the one suffering because your cancer is thought to not be as important as others, such as the breast.

Everybody deserves a chance, an equal fight, and NOBODY deserves cancer!