THE PHOEBE LYNN LEWIS FOUNDATION
Raising awareness about screening for lung cancer and wellness
THE PHOEBE LYNN LEWIS FOUNDATION
Raising awareness about screening for lung cancer and wellness
About Us
This Foundation is established in memory of Phoebe Lynn Lewis, who lost her courageous battle to lung cancer on April 18, 2015.
A Tribute To Phoebe
The end was precipitous: she was playing 36 holes of golf in November, celebrating two of her beloved grandchildren’s Bar Mitzvahs in the fall, traveling to Israel with her husband Robert of 49 years, her two daughters, son-in-laws, and four grandchildren in late December – and passed away just four months later.
Those who knew Phoebe always remarked on her boundless energy, wry sense of humor and beauty inside and out. The shock and swiftness of this stealth disease has only one silver lining – to mobilize us to honor and memory of our mother, sister, and wife – to get the word out NOW to SCREEN FOR LUNG CANCER and to STOP SMOKING.
Phoebe quit smoking more than 30 years ago. She had an occasional cough, allegedly due to asthma according to her primary care physician (who never recommended further inquiries despite being aware of her history). And that is part of the problem – primary care physicians need to be aware that now there is Medicare-sanctioned screening for individuals with certain risk factors.
Thirty years ago, no one discussed breast cancer – it was something for only whispers in hushed voices in back rooms. Now, thanks to wonderful efforts by many afflicted by that disease, it has become routine practice for women to regularly screen. And lives are being saved.
It is our hope that through raising awareness, lung cancer screening for those at risk will become the standard of care. We also hope to continue to educate future generations regarding healthy living and the perils of smoking. START SCREENING and STOP SMOKING is our simple message.
Phoebe went from a vivacious, funny, brilliant, young-for-her-years 69 year old to a bedridden individual who could not care for herself. She is someone who was sought out by others as a great listener, when times were difficult. She was a great artist, painting landscapes and flowers of O’Keefe-like beauty, and a gardener who tended to those same flowers with care and love. She was always there to assist her grandchildren in any way she could, taking them to doctors, pushing them gently to achieve their best, arranging unbelievable annual “Lewis Camps” in the city, Florida or elsewhere that combined educational and fun components.
Towards the end of her life, cancer had robbed her of the ability to even grasp a colored pencil to draw, to grasp a golf club, or to hug her beloved grandchildren and husband. This decline happened in just four months.It is obvious in hindsight that the disease was quietly and insidiously at work long before the diagnosis. That is why screening is so very important to those at risk for lung cancer.
Phoebe was clever and tenacious. If anyone had the right mindset to beat this disease, it was Phoebe. But the fact is that Stage IV lung cancer is a formidable foe, and only 2% win in that battle. The survival rate for Stage IV lung cancer is just 2 percent. And, Phoebe was one of the lucky ones. Under the wonderful care of her physicians at NYU Winthrop University hospital, advice from friends and family with deep knowledge of the best standard of care, she was admitted into a clinical trial for a cutting edge therapy (Nivolumab, now branded Opdivo) that was her last and only hope. She did not respond. The lucky ones respond and gain 3-5 years of their lives.
But if caught early, the odds of survival increase dramatically. Please see our Information section for more details. Please help us RAISE AWARENESS for LUNG CANCER SCREENING, by spreading the word, donating what you can, and most importantly, telling anyone you care about who smokes to SCREEN and STOP. You will save a life.
Join Us
Help Our Cause
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our mission. Of every dollar, 100 cents goes to raising awareness regarding the dangers of smoking and vaping, lung cancer screening, and the benefits of healthy life choices. The Phoebe Lynn Lewis Foundation is tax exempt as a 501(c)(3) charity.
About The Phoebe Lynn Lewis Foundation
Our Documentary – Fear Of Finding Out
The dangers of vaping are coming to light, as those of smoking did decades ago. Former smokers should undergo screening for early detection of lung cancer. The Phoebe Lynn Lewis Foundation encourages everyone to be #2SMART2START and #SCREEN2SAVE.
Schreiber’s First High School Turquoise Takeover
Thanks to Schreiber High School’s SADD and Key Clubs for hosting the inaugural Turquoise Takeover on April 27th! A special thank you to NYU-Winthrop University Hospital and the American Lung Association for their support in raising awareness about lung cancer screening and prevention. #2SMART2START #SCREEN2SAVE
Why Screening and Stopping Are An Important Pair
A recent article by Jane Brody in the New York Times details the importance of coupling screening programs with smoking cessation.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/07/lung-screening-may-not-push-smokers-to-quit/
Phoebe Lynn Lewis Foundation Raises Lung Cancer Awareness at Winthrop and Beyond
Please click to learn about New York University's lung screening program.
https://nyulangone.org/locations/lung-cancer-screening-program