Lung Cancer Alliance of Florida, Inc.

I had been working with Lung Cancer Alliance in Washington DC. Unfortunately, my contact there has been very unresponsive with regard to helping me organize a Chapter of LCA here in Florida. I have been calling and writing for months now. She is a young girl who says she will call ...and then doesn't. She sets appointment times and doesn't call. She says she will be sending me material....and doesn't follow thru. Her last message was LCA doesn't have the resources to start something in Florida this year.

I finally said, screw it....and am striking out on my own. Maybe by forming Lung Cancer Alliance of Florida, Inc (the name I chose and now own the rights to) I will get their attention that I am not on their schedule.

Interestingly, LCA is organized -- according to their website -- as a 501(c) 3, which is a charity where donations are tax deductible. But my understanding is that a 501 (c) 3 is prohibited from lobbying or political activity. I will have to look into it, but my understanding is that you can only be a tax deductible non-profit if you refrain from political activities. Clearly LCA does not, but maybe they get around it somehow by how they frame their mission....

I have confirmed our first meeting for Feb 6th. Here is the initial agenda:

Lung Cancer Alliance of Florida, Inc
Organizational Meeting February 6th

Mission Statement
To raise public awareness of lung cancer and to educate the general public about lung cancer;
To promote, both at the state and federal level, funding of lung cancer research, including treatment, early detection and screening ; To provide encouragement and support to lung cancer patients and their caregivers in Florida

Organization

Board of Directors (5 people)

Officers

Proposed Officers:
Thomas Cappiello – president
Vice President -- Jen Wadsworth
Secretary -- Mary Grace Lorah
Treasurer -- Geof Lorah

Committees:
Public Policy / Strategic Planning Committee
Finance Committee
Events and Promotion Committee
Media and Publicity Committee

Goals:
Raise $50,000 for educational activities
Add 150 members to the LCA-Fl member list
Conduct a "Report Card" survey on the State related to funding lung cancer
Introduce a bill that ties increased tobacco tax to funding lung cancer screening and detection
Introduced legislation to make November "Lung Cancer Awareness" Month in Florida
Organize the State into advocate districts; Create relationship with Moffitt
Create online site for patient and caregiver support
Create a Lung Cancer Alliance of Florida hotline for patient support
Develop a "speakers bureau" to talk with groups about lung cancer
Develop "position papers" on screening protocols, research
Advocate insurance reimbursement for CT scan
Advocate lung cancer patients involvement with clinical trials