American Lung Association turns Delaware turquoise to raise lung cancer awareness

DELAWARE – The American Lung Association is turning Delaware turquoise this week to raise lung cancer awareness.  Delawareans will see landmarks like the Dover Motor Speedway and Legislative Hall lit up in honor of the Turquoise Takeover.

“This is an opportunity to talk about lung cancer and shine a light on lung cancer awareness,” said Aleks Casper, Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association.

This year alone, 920 Delawareans will be diagnosed with lung cancer. While talking about the disease can be tough, Casper says the conversations are necessary. She added that screenings can oftentimes be lifesaving.

According to the American Lung Association, increasing lung cancer survival rates can be attributed to early detection. Casper said screening is the “best tool” health officials have right now.

“If we can find it early through low-dose CT scans, then we can impact the other metrics. We can ensure someone is getting early access to treatment, and we’re diagnosing it as early as we possibly can … While Delaware is a little bit better than the national average, we know that not enough people are being screened,” Casper said.

To find out if you are eligible for a low-dose CT scan, visit SavedByTheScan.org. If you are eligible, have a follow-up conversation with your health care provider.