Local Lung Cancer Survivor Travels to Washington, D.C. to Urge Lawmakers to Support Lifesaving Research and Public Health Funding

Jacksonville resident and lung cancer survivor, Cindy Springer, will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with her members of Congress during the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day on March 20. As a part of the nationwide event, Springer will join more than 40 other people across the country who have been impacted by lung cancer to ask lawmakers to support $51.3 billion in research funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and $11.6 billion in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Lung health has always been top of mind for Springer, whose experiences with asthma initially drew her to her current role as development director at the Lung Association in Jacksonville. After volunteering for a lung health study in January 2023, she was shocked that at 35, with no risk factors, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She underwent a lobectomy and removed 27 regional lymph nodes. This month marks the anniversary of her lifesaving surgery, and today she is cancer free.

“As unlucky as my diagnosis has left me feeling at times, I truly know how incredibly lucky I am to have caught this cancer early. While I had no risk factors, there are people who do and are not aware that they should be screening for lung cancer,” Springer recounted. “It’s imperative that in addition to life-saving research, we are educating the public about how to identify when you need to put that research into practice.”

Springer added: “I will work every day to ensure more people can be as lucky as I’ve been, finding their lung cancer before it’s too late.”

During Advocacy Day, Springer will speak with her U.S. senators and representative to share her personal experience with lung cancer and explain why investments in public health and research funding are important to her.

Thousands of LUNG FORCE Heroes from across the country have raised their voices since 2014 to urge their members of Congress in Washington, D.C., to support robust, sustainable and predictable federal funding increases for lung cancer research, prevention, as well as quality and affordable healthcare. LUNG FORCE Heroes have succeeded in helping increase NIH lung cancer research funding by over 130% since the inception of LUNG FORCE in 2014. NIH has also funded research that has led to new treatments that are saving lives today. Since 2016, over 50 new therapies have been approved by the FDA to treat lung cancer – giving life and hope to those impacted by this disease.

Springer encourages Floridians to advocate for lung cancer research and healthcare protections by contacting their members of Congress, which they can do at Lung.org/AdvocacyDay. Learn more about Cindy Springer’s story and the LUNG FORCE initiative at LUNGFORCE.org.

Get involved and help the mission of the American Lung Association. The Jacksonville Fight For Air Climb is coming up on March 23 at the Bank of America Tower. Learn more at ClimbJax.org.