American Lung Association Honors AstraZeneca with Outstanding Corporate Partner Award for 35 Years of Impact

On Friday, June 27, the American Lung Association honored AstraZeneca with the Outstanding Corporate Partner Award at its annual awards celebration in Chicago for their long-standing commitment, leadership and support of lung health. The 35-year partnership has been integral in supporting the Lung Association’s work to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.

“We thank the entire AstraZeneca team for your incredible support over three decades. It is our relationship with industry, corporations, foundations and other peer organizations that enables the Lung Association to deliver life-changing and life-saving education, research and advocacy. These relationships are built on a foundation of leadership and a shared vision for a world free of lung disease,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “We are proud to recognize AstraZeneca for its outstanding commitment to lung health and thank you for your active leadership in our Health Industry Council.  

"We are deeply honored to receive the Outstanding Corporate Partner Award from the American Lung Association," said Dan Wygal, Vice President, US Corporate Affairs at AstraZeneca. "This recognition affirms our shared commitment to improving lung health and advancing science that benefits patients and communities everywhere. We look forward to strengthening this valuable partnership and continuing our joint efforts to reduce the burden of lung disease."

Over the past 35 years, AstraZeneca has invested over $8 million to further advance the Lung Association’s critical mission. The partnership has educated people on lifesaving lung cancer screening, helped increase awareness about biomarker screening that vastly improves the lives of people living with lung cancer, helped people reduce asthma attacks and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, supported work to advance policies that benefit patients with lung cancer and their families, and much more.

The Lung Association has partnered with AstraZeneca on critical education and awareness campaigns throughout the years. A few of the programs created through this partnership include:

• Lung Cancer Screening: For nearly four decades, AstraZeneca has consistently supported the Lung Association’s work to educate people living in the U.S. about the vital importance of lung cancer screening at both the national and local community level. Thanks to AstraZeneca’s unwavering commitment to defeat lung cancer, over the past five years, the survival rate for lung cancer has increased by 26% nationally to 29.7%.  
• LungXperience partnership: As a part of the new LungXperience partnership, the Lung Association joined AstraZeneca and NASCAR to advance lung cancer screening, connecting people to direct, specialized care through the Lung Association’s Lung Health Navigator program. So far, this program has referred 530 people to the Lung Health Navigator program, providing participants with one-to-one care from nurses and respiratory therapists to guide them in their screening journey. 
• BEAT Lung Cancer Campaign: With shared values to defeat lung cancer, AstraZeneca has supported the Lung Association’s United to BEAT Lung Cancer Campaign, dedicated to educating and building awareness for biomarker testing. 
• Living Well With Asthma and COPD: AstraZeneca has steadfastly supported the Living Well With asthma and COPD launch and continuation of the Lung Health Navigator program not only for lung cancer but for COPD and asthma. AstraZeneca also continues to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities through Breathe Well Live Well initiatives.  
• Advocacy Days: AstraZeneca has been a long-standing and vital supporter of the Lung Association’s advocacy work. From their many-year commitment to supporting LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day to their willingness to support our new Respiratory Advocacy Day, their commitment to empowering patients and safeguarding lung health is unmatched.

Since 1904, the Lung Association has worked to champion lung health and pioneered the model of education, advocacy and research to support public health. In this work, the organization collaborates with partners and alliances that support efforts to defeat lung cancer, champion clean air for all, create a tobacco-free future and improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families. The Outstanding Corporate Partner Award recognizes these partners for their critical partnership in our mission.