Comedian Kathy Griffin is the most recent celebrity to reveal a diagnosis of lung cancer. By taking this courageous step, she has made the lung cancer room bigger, contributing to awareness and discussion of lung cancer around the world and helping others with the condition feel less alone.

Griffin said she developed the disease even though she’s never smoked, which is important to discuss, because nonsmokers comprise about 20 percent of lung cancer deaths. One MyLungCancerTeam member said, “I am 62 years old and have never smoked in my life. I have stage 4 cancer in my lung and bones.”

Griffin’s cancer has been classified as stage 1, and her doctors were able to catch it early because she had all of her routine checkups. She is undergoing surgery to have part of her left lung removed, and expects to be able to breathe normally afterward.

“Please stay up to date on your medical checkups,” Griffin told her Twitter followers. “It’ll save your life.”

Members Make the Community Stronger

Since MyLungCancerTeam launched in 2020, the network has grown to become more than 6,000 members strong — that's a big room! Just as Griffin’s announcement amplifies the voices of those with lung cancer, each new member on MyLungCancerTeam makes the community stronger.

Without a lung cancer community, it can be easy to feel isolated, like you're the only one dealing with the condition’s effects. Whether you have spoken directly with other members or not, by joining MyLungCancerTeam and reading shared experiences, you have become part of the community.

Here are a few easy actions you can take to welcome and support other members:

• Hug or like someone's post
• Say hello to a new member
• Answer a question in Q+A
• Add someone to your team
• Consider other ways to get started on MyLungCancerTeam

Together we make a stronger community!

Talk With Others Who Understand

On MyLungCancerTeam, more than 6,000 people living with lung cancer come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lung cancer.

Are you living with lung cancer? Share your experiences in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.