ANDY King describes himself as “no long-distance runner”.

Yet in the last two years the dad-of-two has twice tackled the Bupa Great North Run, and on Sunday he will embark on his first full marathon in New York.

The 35-year-old, who is originally from Thornaby, is runing in memory of his late wife, Lisa.

She lost her battle with lung cancer in April 2007, aged just 34, leaving behind a doting husband and two young children, Theo and Libby, now aged five and three.

WHAT: On Monday, November 2, clear biodegradable balloons will be released,carrying messages of hope and encouragement for the nearly 5,000 people in Indiana living with lung cancer(1).  The balloons, which represent clear lungs, are being launched as part of Our Mission is Clear, an event organized by Lilly and The Wellness Community Central-Indiana to bring awareness and attention to the disease during November, National Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Lung cancer is the world’s most common cancer, and an estimated 219,440 Americans are expected to be diagnosed this year.(1) It is also estimated that lung cancer will cause 159,000 deaths in the United States this year – more than the total number of deaths resulting from breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.

As a dietitian, the three most common questions which smokers ask me about diet and smoking, are: (1) Can a diet compensate for health damage caused by smoking? (2) What should I eat if I smoke? (3) If I quit, what type of diet is best to prevent weight gain?

Research suggests women may have greater vulnerability to cigarette smoke carcinogens than men. As reported by HealthDay News, an analysis of several studies revealed findings that show women may be more susceptible to lung cancer and other health conditions related to cigarette smoke than their male counterparts.

Lawmaker mending from cancer

State Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio, said Monday that she is recovering from Stage IV lung cancer that had spread to her brain.

She said she has successfully completed treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, which the American Cancer Society says is the most common cancer among smokers.

Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen was looking for a way to join the fight against lung cancer.

The traditional fundraiser — the 5k run — was out. Sachs-Kohen hates running.

Instead, the assistant rabbi at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation and several dozen fellow yoga enthusiasts will be taking to the mats today for what they’re calling the Free to Breathe Yogathon. On the first day of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, they plan to earn pledges by performing the sun salutation, a sequence of body positions in hatha yoga.

Women may be more vulnerable than men to the carcinogens and other noxious substances in cigarette smoke, a growing body of research suggests.

In one study of nearly 700 people with lung cancer, Swiss experts found that women tended to be younger when they received the diagnosis, even though they smoked less than the men who developed lung cancer.

In another study, researchers from Harvard University and the University of Bergen in Norway evaluated more than 950 men and women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), known to be linked to smoking. The result: The women with COPD were younger when they got the diagnosis and had smoked less than the men with the respiratory ailment.

Christine’s Story

My first true experience with Lung cancer was just over 3 years ago. My best friend, a guy who was a vision of health and fitness, someone who took such good care of himself and his body was diagnosed with what turned out to be advanced lung cancer at the age of 31. He had never smoked in his life.

Mesothelioma doesn’t have to be fatal. This rare form of lung cancer has long been feared by workers exposed to asbestos in their work environments, and much of that fear is justified: This form of cancer can be deadly. But it doesn’t always have to be.

There are natural ways to greatly extend life, even for those suffering from mesothelioma. Most are based on nutritional therapies, as you’ll see below.