The Canary Foundation is the nation’s only non-profit organization devoted exclusively to the funding, discovery and development of tests for early cancer detection. The Foundation was founded in 2004 by Don Listwin, a successful high-technology executive who lost his mother to misdiagnosed ovarian cancer. Don soon discovered that, although nearly $10 billion is spent annually on cancer research in the United States alone, the vast majority of this funding is allocated to the development of new cancer treatments and caring for patients, while surprisingly little funding is available to researchers investigating new ways to detect cancer at its earliest and most curable stages.

Spurred by this realization, the Canary Foundation sought to refocus cancer research programs toward prevention and early detection. Beginning with ovarian cancer research, the Canary Foundation began to invest in the research of new technologies that would allow scientists to discover new biological markers (biomarkers) that form the basis for simple blood tests for the early detection of cancer. Today, the Canary Foundation has established six unique cancer biomarker research programs, including a $10 million program for lung cancer research.

To better reach its goals, the Canary Foundation has formed a partnership with The Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation. In collaboration with the Foundation, the Canary Lung Program aims to apply a cooperative approach to:

• Developing a panel of blood-based biomarkers for the early detection of lung cancer in order to improve specificity and sensitivity of imaging modalities that are currently available, with a particular consideration of markers applicable to never-smokers.
• Improving upon current diagnostic imaging modalities for lung cancer.
• Exploring various alternatives to early diagnosis, including other diagnostic modalities, epidemiology and modeling.
• Investigating predictive markers for disease recurrence.
• Conducting an extensive literature and database search to prioritize candidate markers for the early diagnosis of cancer.
• Assessing increments in sensitivity and specificity of imaging when combined with promising blood-based or other promising diagnostic modalities.
• Assembling resources needed to accomplish goals, including research into novel blood and imaging biomarkers as well as epidemiological studies.

The Canary Lung Program has seen several significant accomplishments since it was implemented by the Foundation in 2007. These accomplishments include:

• The Canary Lung Cancer Program has built an international science team of nine lead researchers from five institutions.
• The first official lung cancer program team meeting with all science team members was held in New York in September 2007.
• Canary Lung has committed funding to ten research projects and related resources for a total research commitment of $1,786,000 to date.
• Cash contributions of $1,000,475 earmarked specifically for the Canary Lung Cancer Program have been received to date.

Uniting Against Lung Cancer funds innovative research to find a cure for lung cancer and increase awareness of the disease, including in people who have never smoked.

The organization was founded in 2001 as Joan's Legacy, in honor of Joan Scarangello McNeive. To better reflect the foundation's commitment to uniting all families and organizations dedicated to conquering lung cancer, the name was changed in 2009 to Uniting Against Lung Cancer. Today, Uniting Against Lung Cancer:

• Awards individual grants to researchers at leading cancer centers.
• Empowers its nationally-respected Medical Committee to identify the most promising ideas and research projects.
• Promotes and recognizes excellence in journalism about lung cancer to increase awareness about the disease.
• Collaborates with other organizations, families and groups that will join us in seeking a cure for lung cancer in all its forms.

The Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation supports the efforts of Uniting Against Lung Cancer by providing critical funding toward vital lung cancer research projects at national institutions.

The LUNGevity Foundation was founded in 2000 by seven Chicago-area lung cancer survivors to increase funding for lung cancer research. Since its inception, the Foundation has committed to co-funding more than $5 million in innovative lung cancer research projects at the foremost cancer programs in America. LUNGevity Foundation partners with the American Cancer Society Illinois Chapter, the American Lung Association, the American Thoracic Society, Uniting Against Lung Cancer, Partnership for Cures, The CHEST Foundation, the National Lung Cancer Partnership, and the Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education, among others, to make its research awards.

In 2006, LUNGevity expanded its mission to include providing online support to people affected by lung cancer and welcomed the Lung Cancer Support Community to its family. This community of more than 6,000 individuals offers emotional, informational, and professional support to patients and their families and friends.

In June 2009, LUNGevity provided a $100,000 grant to the Labrecque Foundation to support the development of simple blood and imaging tests that can identify and isolate cancers at their earliest stages, when lung cancer is most treatable and chances for full recovery are greatest. These funds will go directly towards the research efforts of the Canary Lung Early Detection Initiative, a $10 million five-year early detection program co-sponsored by the Labrecque Foundation and the Canary Foundation.

The Thomas G. Labrecque Foundation is proud to name LUNGevity as a partner and supports its efforts to save lives and ease the burden of lung cancer on patients and their loved ones.