Our board member and co-founder, Ilana Stromberg, wants to share some exciting updates about The Happy Lungs Project and our path forward.
Over the past year, The Happy Lungs Project has been working on a strategic work plan in service to our mission. With involvement and input from key stakeholders, and thanks to the leadership of our board and support from Lilly, I am delighted to share our new mission statement:
To save the lives of RET-positive lung cancer patients by advancing research and treatment options.
In pursuit of our mission, our goals are to:
- Fund and facilitate research
- Foster communication among the scientific community
- Educate and encourage patient participation in biomarker testing, clinical trials, and lung cancer registries
- Raise funds and administer grants with transparent financials and sound governance
On today’s World Lung Cancer Day and every day, we are dedicated to being the go-to resource for RET-positive patients and caregivers. We look forward to sharing information that meets your needs and addresses your questions.
New and Enhanced Website Content
Scientific research can be confusing and overwhelming, right? That’s why The Happy Lungs Project is here: To help you understand RET-positive research and what it means for current treatment options and future therapies.
Our recent survey showed us what respondents want to know about RET-positive research, with questions like:
- “Are you researching how to keep one’s body strong while going through cancer treatments?”
- “Can you explain why this type of cancer is often caught so late and progresses so fast?”
- “What are new second generation treatments?”
- “Is there anything coming down the pike for RET positive patients?
We enhanced our website content in response to the survey responses we received and the needs of RET-positive lung cancer patients and caregivers
- RET-Positive Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Matching – Clinical trials offer hope to patients – and critical information to researchers that can lead to improved treatment options. We provide information about the latest clinical trials for RET-positive patients. Use our tool to match to a trial.
- Video Q&A Series – Coming soon, we will host a video series to help you make sense of the science, featuring questions from patients and caregivers that are answered by scientists and doctors.
- Current RET Treatments – Lung cancer staging matters. Why? So your doctor can properly assess the spread of disease and identify the optimal treatment option. For patients with RET fusions or other RET mutations, there are targeted therapies that work to selectively block the RET molecule.
- Resistance to RET Treatment – Cancer drug resistance means that a tumor no longer responds to anticancer drugs that were once effective. This can be a significant challenge, as it may limit treatment options and affect the patient’s prognosis.
- HLP Funded Scientific Research Grants – We seek to support researchers and clinicians in their work toward a cure for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer caused by the RET mutation. While current treatments like Selpercatinib improve patient outcomes greatly, they are not a cure; some patients develop resistance, while others fail to respond. That’s why we aim to provide the resources necessary to develop treatments for NSCLC caused by the RET mutation, including novel drugs, procedures, and immunotherapies.
- Patient Registries – We urge patients to share their medical histories with the lung cancer registries, because it creates a larger sample from which to make statistically meaningful interpretations. This is what drives life-saving research and better treatment options.
Our website content has been specifically designed to address the questions and needs identified in our recent survey. We are committed to providing the most relevant and cutting-edge information on RET-positive lung cancer, helping patients and caregivers navigate their journey with confidence and support.
We encourage you to explore these new resources and stay informed about the latest developments in RET-positive lung cancer research and treatment. Our goal is to be a comprehensive resource for the RET-positive community, ensuring that everyone has access to the information they need.
Best regards,
Ilana Stromberg
