(Pictured on left) Lung cancer survivor, Bonnie Addario at her San Carlos, Ca. home on Thursday January 26, 2012. A new lung cancer study demonstrates the importance of genetic testing of early stage lung cancer tumors.

WATCH THE VIDEO

(San Francisco, November 11, 2011)—The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (BJALCF) hosted its 6^th annual Simply the Best Dinner Gala on November 5^th at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Showcasing BJALCF’s work on behalf of Lung Cancer patients worldwide, the gala toasted the contributions of extraordinary participation in the fight to end Lung Cancer and raised $700,000 for Lung Cancer Research. WATCH THE VIDEO

Highlights of the evening included the Dr. David Jablons “Asclepios Award” honoring a pioneer in research whose dedication to healing exemplifies the spirit of Asclepios–Greek God of Medicine and healing,  accepted by Hiroyuki Mano, MD, PhD, from the Jichi Medical University in Japan.

“Just call me ‘HERO’,” said Dr. Hiroyuki Mano, to an audience of over 400, “I am honored and I promise to find other biomarkers to make a difference in Lung Cancer.” Dr. Mano brought HOPE and PROGRESS to a riveted audience of hope-filled families with an acceptance speech that ended in a standing ovation. Dr. Mano was awarded by BJALCF for identifying the transformative EML4-ALK fusion gene for non-small-cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Dr. Mano explained the thrill and insider-revelation he felt identifying what has literally revolutionized the standard of care for Lung Cancer patients. “I saw what the drug Gleevac was doing and I thought…these individuals were distinct from those harboring mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR). Our data demonstrated that a subset of NSCLC patients may express a transforming fusion kinase that is a promising candidate for a therapeutic target as well as for a diagnostic molecular marker in NSCLC.” An identified biomarker matched with an existing drug called Crizotinib/XALKORI equals SURVIVAL of Lung Cancer with quality of life!!!

Dr. Mano was awarded by BJALCF founder David Jablons, MD, because clinical outcomes…a.k.a. BREAKTHROUGHS such as Mano’s discovery are events that truly take down Lung Cancer and all cancers, for that matter.

Other awardees included Vincent Miller, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, now at Foundation Medicine, recipient of the Dr. Thierry Jahan “A Breath Away from the Cure” award honoring individuals for excellence in oncology. Wells Whitney, a BJALCF founder and 14-year Lung Cancer Survivor received the Dr. Fred Marcus “Simply the Best Award” for outstanding performance in the fight to end Lung Cancer.  Annie Barry, from Maryland, received the Caregiver Award for raising national awareness and almost $100,000 in honor of her father.

The most important messages resonating and resounding throughout the evening were that “ANYONE CAN GET LUNG CANCER” and “SURVIVING LUNG CANCER IS IMPERATIVE.” These are things the world needs to embrace. Lung Cancer is not just a smoker’s disease. It needs our attention and care. It is the Number One Cancer Killer. Anyone can get it. Nobody deserves it. Everyone deserves to survive.

Click here to view photographs from Simply the Best VI from James Hall. Click here to view Dan Frank’s red carpet photos.

About the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (BJALCF)BJALCF is one of the largest philanthropies (patient-founded, patient-focused, patient-driven) and recognized force devoted exclusively to eradicating Lung Cancer through research, early detection, education, and treatment. The Foundation works with a diverse group of physicians, organizations, industry partners, individuals, survivors, and their families to identify solutions and make timely and meaningful change. BJALCF was established in 2006 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and has raised over six million dollars for Lung Cancer research. Contact: Sheila Von Driska, Executive Director, sheila@lungcancerfoundation.org/415.357.1278/www.lungcancerfoundation.org

Past Gala Award Recipients

Dr. David Jablons “Asclepios” Award:

Honors pioneers in research whose dedication to healing exemplifies the principles and spirit of Asclepios, Greek God of Medicine and Healing

Zhidong, Xu, MD, PhD— University of California, San Francisco (2006)

Ling You, MD, PhD —University of California, San Francisco (2007)

Rafael Rosell, MD, PhD— Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona (2008)

David Carbone, MD, PhD—Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Tennessee (2009)

Harvey Pass, MD— NYU Langone Medical Center, New York (2010)

Hiroyuki Mano, MD, PhD—Jichi Medical University, Japan (2011)

Dr. Thierry Jahan “A Breath Away from the Cure” Award:

Honors individuals for excellence in oncology, early detection, screening, coordinated treatment, care and compassion for those with Lung Cancer

Thierry Jahan, MD (namesake)—University of California, San Francisco (2006)

Natalie Olsen, RN, MS, NP—University of California, San Francisco (2007)

Sarita Dubey, MD–University of California, San Francisco (2008)

Giorgio V. Scagliotti, MD, PhD— University of Turin, Italy (2009)

Pasi Jänne, MD, PhD—Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts (2010)

Vince Miller, MD— Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York and Foundation Medicine, Inc., Massachusetts (2011)

The Luminosity Award

Honors courageous individuals who light the way in the global fight against Lung Cancer and prioritize funding for research so that ultimately a cure for the deadliest of all cancers will be found

U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (2006)

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (2007)

Dr. Fred Marcus “Simply the Best” Award:

Fred Marcus, MD (namesake)—Sequoia Hospital, California (2006)

Deborah Morosini, MD (2007)

David Gandara, MD (2008)

Kathy Danenberg—Response Genetics (2009)

Fred Marcus, MD, (2010)

Wells Whitney, ScD (2011)

The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation Award for Public Service

Robert Schmitt and Cathy Matthews (2008)

Cheryl Jennings (2009)

The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation Golden Lobe Awards (2009)

Jamie Gorenberg, Kathryn Joosten, Zheng Cao, Hosea Rosenberg, Jillian Costello and Taylor Caitlyn Bell

Bonnie J. Addario, Founder of both organizations and champion to all Lung Cancer patients as a 7-year Lung Cancer survivor and leader, addressed an audience of hundreds of Lung Cancer leaders, specialists and researchers at the ALCMI Satellite Symposium: The Way Forward.

The work of one woman’s dream and a following now of tens of thousands sent out a resounding message worldwide that the time for Lung Cancer to come out of the shadows is NOW. What better place for this message to emanate than from the 14th IASLC World Lung Cancer Conference in a country where the sun can be caught shining 15 hours a day. Lung Cancer is now in the spotlight it deserves to end almost a half century of tragedy and lost loved ones to a disease that should and can be managed with equal amounts of funding, brain power and compassion as other major cancers.

“I stand before you today,” said Addario. “And I say the time is now for Lung Cancer patients to come to the table and be embraced not just as part of the SOLUTION.  The patients ARE the SOLUTION. Patients are the key to crack the code. They are one of the missing links to the cure for Lung Cancer.   Don’t just invite them to the table.  Give them a SEAT.  You will not be disappointed.  They can be part of forming a NEW TOMORROW for Lung Cancer research and a VOICE for changing the status quo. We are the change. I hope you will join with us and make today the beginning of the end of Lung Cancer.”

Tune in again soon to this website for a complete recap and video of today’s accomplishments.

–Scott Santarella
••••••

The Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute’s Satellite Symposium will be held at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer on Sunday, 3 July from 13:30-15:00, Amsterdam Rai, The Netherlands. The title of the symposium is “The Way Forward for Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment in Lung Cancer.” Click here to download. Rafael Rosell, MD, PhD (Spain) and Giorgio V. Scagliotti, MD, PhD (Italy) will chair this exceptional interchange of ideas. Although literature has shown that the molecular testing of tumor/blood can improve patient outcomes, only a minority of physicians routinely order these tests. The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (BJALCF) created ALCMI as a partner in 2008, to transform the standard of care for Lung Cancer.

A summit was held in San Francisco in November 2007 where the need for such a collaborative institute to pave “THE WAY FORWARD” was identified by more than 70 of the world’s Lung Cancer researchers, clinicians and patients. ALCMI is a patient-founded, patient-focused research consortium with the ultimate goal of making Lung Cancer a survivable disease.

ALCMI is unique. It is a comprehensively contracted consortium with shared infrastructures (standardized contracts, data systems and biorepositories) and centrally coordinated scientific planning. ALCMI’s researchers are pooling their knowledge, specimens and data in order to improve the understanding of the molecular bases of Lung Cancer and to accelerate the development and delivery of much more effective, targeted drugs and treatments tailored to individual patients.

ALCMI represents a paradigm shift in the approach to making Lung Cancer a manageable disease. It is about finding solutions. NOW. Not tomorrow. Not for future patients. ALCMI is making a difference–right now.

We hope you can join us in Amsterdam. This Symposium will provide community-based clinicians and academic/industry investigators with case studies on how a patient-founded research organization, in partnership with a key group of motivated investigators, is helping to catalyze and accelerate translational research while simultaneously supporting the integration of currently available molecular analyses into clinical practice for informed decision-making and improved patient outcomes. See topics and schedule below. Results, a full report and video will be available after the conference. For more information, please contact Steven Young, President of ALCMI or by phone: 203.226.5765.

The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation Introduces Jill’s Legacy

San Francisco, CA, March 8, 2011/PRNewsire-USNewswire/—The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (BJALCF), a worldwide leader in efforts to eliminate Lung Cancer, announced today that they have launched the creation of a new Advisory Board made up of 21 promising young professionals who have each been personally touched by Lung Cancer. The Board has been called “Jill’s Legacy” in memorial of the 22-year-old college student and athlete at U.C. Berkeley, Jillian Costello, who lost her battle with Lung Cancer in June of 2010, just one year after being diagnosed.

What’s this group’s mission? Simple: to be the driving force in significantly increasing the stagnant 15.5% survival rate of the world’s number one cancer killer—Lung Cancer.

BJALCF namesake and Chairman of the Board, Bonnie Addario, believes they are just the people to do it, saying,

“I am inspired and extremely hopeful about the message that these incredible young people can send to the world about Lung Cancer. They can unearth the truth about this disease and substantially impact funding for research.”

Echoing Bonnie’s enthusiasm is BJALCF’s President and CEO Scott Santarella, saying, “Our group of young adults is incredibly tech savvy, they have embraced the give-back philosophy and are extremely creative and energetic. I have no doubt they will help us create new initiatives to help Lung Cancer patients and their families.”

With its oldest member just 25-years-old, this Board of empowered young adults is largely made up of Jill’s closest friends and loved ones. Bryce Atkinson, Jill’s long-time boyfriend, will serve on the Executive Committee as President of the Board. Other Executive Committee members include Jessica Morello, Jill’s cousin who will serve as Vice President; Kristina Renda, High School classmate of Jill’s who also lost her father and grandmother to Lung Cancer and will serve as Secretary; K.C. Oakley, Jill’s closest friend at U.C. Berkeley, who will serve as Treasurer; Taylor Bell, a North Carolina-based 24-year-old Lung Cancer survivor herself; Sahil Patel, who lost his mother to the disease and is studying to be a thoracic surgeon in her honor; Darby Anderson, one of Jill’s closest friends who has dedicated her life to the cause; and Elizabeth Button, Jill’s life-long friend who is studying Law in San Francisco.

The Board will also consist of six other committees: Science and Research, “Fun” Raising, Finance, Corporate Sponsorship, Public Awareness and Social Media. Members of each committee are also friends of Jill who want to be part of the elimination of the disease that took their young friend from them too soon.

“Essentially, we want to make a change in the way Lung Cancer is viewed in society and treated in medicine. While other cancers have benefitted from modern science and research and exceeded survival rates of 95%, the survival rate for Lung Cancer hasn’t budged from 15.5% in 40 years. That is unacceptable to us and that’s something we have to change” says Jill’s Legacy Executive Committee member, Kristina Renda.

These young people have all seen first-hand that anyone can get Lung Cancer, not just smokers. Through various educational vehicles and fund-raising efforts, they are out to spread the word.

“They say that wisdom comes with age. I think in this age of information technology, wisdom comes quicker for the younger generations and it comes without past prejudice,” says Sheila Von Driska, BJALCF Executive Director, “The members of Jill’s Legacy have no patience or time for a stigma that has kept Lung Cancer in the shadows for over 40 years. I believe Jill’s Legacy is revolutionizing the way society views Lung Cancer and because of them, we’re going to witness a rapid intelligent change in the survival rate of Lung Cancer.”

For more information, or to invest in Jill’s Legacy, email Darby Anderson, Jill’s Legacy/Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation or call 949-293-2093.

READ MORE ABOUT JILLIAN COSTELLO AS SEEN IN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (CLICK HERE)

Jill’s Legacy Advisory Board Members (as of March 8, 2011)

Bryce Atkinson, President
Jessica Morello, Vice President
Kristina Renda, Secretary
K.C. Oakley, Treasurer

Darby Anderson
Gabriel Baumgaertner
Erica Bellis
Taylor Bell
Elizabeth Button
Maggie Eisenberg
Nathan Floyd
Emily Frumberg
Kelcey Harrison
Mihir Kshirsagar
Danielle Michelsen
Siobhan Murphy
Sahil Patel
Alli Paver
Angela Strohbeck
Gianna Toboni
Adeeti Ullal

Wishing you Happy Holidays from all of us at BJALCF.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ZHENG CAO AS CHERYL JENNINGS REPORTS

November 4, 2010–Today, is Independence Day around the world, and a new chance at freedom from Lung Cancer. Today breaks a 40-year silence surrounding care for Lung Cancer victims.

“This is fantastic news,” says Bonnie J. Addario, “Although we already knew this, didn’t we? Which is why we started the Demand a CT Scan screening program four years ago. This is the beginning of significantly increasing the survival rate for lung cancer for the first time in forty years. Stay tuned for the complete results which will come out in the next few months.”

According to Dr. David Jablons, BJALCF co-founder,”The results of the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial are positive. The addition of CT screening in at risk patients (prior smokers over 50 yrs of age) demonstrate a 20% reduction in the risk of lung cancer specific death. This is an enormous step forward for improving outcomes for Lung Cancer patients and for preventing thousands of deaths that would occur without screening. It is an exciting vindication of the Foundation’s longstanding belief and policy that CT screening of the appropriate population of patients saves lives in real time today…”

Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation’s Medical Board Member and thoracic oncologist, Dr. Thierry Jahan, comments, “The recent NCI press release on the PRELIMINARY (it must be emphasized) results of the NSLT trial provides exciting news for the Lung Cancer community.  We are moving that much closer to finally having a screening test for patients at risk for developing Lung Cancer.  The full analysis of the trial should be able to tell us more precisely who to start screening. Further studies will be needed to define effective screens for the different groups of patients that were not included in the NSLT population.”

Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI)’s Scientific Leadership Board member Dr. Harvey Pass says, “This is a landmark study which once and for all validates the role of low dose helical CT in saving the lives of patients with Lung Cancer.  Since the original report by Henschke and Yankelevitz that Lung Cancer screening could detect early Lung Cancers, there has been controversy over the types of Lung Cancers detected, the proper management of the CT findings, and  whether the mortality as opposed to survival is impacted by CT screening.  There is no doubt now that the 20% reduction in mortality shown in this randomized trial  with the use of CT screening in high risk individuals represents the most robust answer to these questions that could not be accurately answered from using outdated, earlier lung cancer modeling.  Lung Cancer, when detected early, is a treatable disease with long term survivorship, and the use of CT scans for early detection will save lives. Implementation of these findings into our health care system, and recognition of Lung Cancer screening as the standard of care can now move forward without delay.”

ALCMI Scientific Leadership Board Member and  Director of Thoracic Oncology at UC Davis Medical Center, Dr. David Gandara, calls the results phenomenal. “They detected enough cancers early that it reduced the death rate from lung cancer by 20%. These are phenomenal results because if you think about the 2 million patients worldwide, that’s a lot of patients.”

This is so big that for the first time ever the American Cancer Society might change their recommendations about screening for Lung Cancer. A lot of lives could be saved.

Dr. Fred S. Marcus, and Chair of the BJALCF Medical Board says, “The long awaited results of the National Cancer Institute sponsored National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) were announced today. This almost nine year study enrolled more than 53,000 current and former heavy smokers and followed them yearly for 3 years with either standard chest x-rays or low dose CT scans of the chest. The groups were followed over five years.

This definitive study demonstrated that annual CT scans in individuals at risk for lung cancer over the age of 50 reduced the risk of dying from this disease by 20%.

This is a remarkable finding for a disease that claims about 160,000 lives per year and when the disease is detected, it is usually detected in its advanced stages for which cure is rarely possible.

One of the prime missions of the Bonnie J Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (BJALCF) is early detection of this disease in order to change these gruesome statistics. Beginning over three years ago, BJALCF partnered with Sequoia Hospital to start an early lung cancer CT screening program.

We are extremely pleased and gratified that the NCI study has validated our early belief in screening and that Sequoia has been providing this exceptional and state-of-the-art care.”

BJALCF Medical Advisory Board Member, Dr. Jim Mulshine says, “The positive results of the National Lung Screening Trial in conclusively demonstrating that spiral-CT based lung cancer screening does save lives is a profound milestone.

It is a credit to the 53,000 volunteers who participated in this study.
It is a credit to the hundreds of professionals that worked with Drs. Chris Berg of the NCI and Denise Aberle of UCLA to complete this trial.
It  is a credit to the support of the US taxpayers who underwrote the expense of this critical trial.

It is the start of a systematic effort to find and cure lung cancer before it spreads beyond the lungs. This approach is our first major breakthrough in improving the cure rate of this cancer that is the leading cause of cancer death across the world. Thank you to the Addario Foundation for strongly supporting this type research at a time when very few believed that this approach could work.”

From the Washington Post, by Rob Stein

Study: CT scans reduce lung cancer deaths by 20% compared with X-rays

Screening former or current smokers with high-tech scans can significantly cut deaths from lung cancer, according to a long-awaited federal study released Thursday.

The study of more than 53,000 middle-aged and elderly people who either once smoked or currently smoke heavily found there were 20 percent fewer deaths among those who underwent annual screening with a scanning procedure known as a low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) compared with those who got standard chest X-rays.

The findings were so striking that the National Cancer Institute, which helped sponsor the study, halted the National Lung Screening Trial early after a panel of experts notified officials about the clear results of an interim analysis.

“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the U.S. and throughout the world, so a validated approach that can reduce lung cancer mortality by even 20 percent has the potential to spare very significant numbers of people from the ravages of this disease,” said NCI Director Harold Varmus.

Lung cancer strikes more than 196,000 Americans each year and kills more than 159,000, accounting for nearly one-third of all cancer deaths. Although significant advances have been made in reducing deaths from other leading cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, lung cancer has remain stubbornly resistent. The new finding marks the first good news about the disease in decades. There are an estimated 91.5 million current and former smokers in the United States, all of whom are at increased risk for lung cancer.

“This is the first time that we have seen clear evidence of a significant reduction in lung cancer mortality with a screening test in a randomized controlled trial,” said Christine Berg, who led the study for the National Cancer Institute.

The new findings come after several previous studies have produced mixed results about the usefulness of the screening to try to catch lung cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages. It remained unclear whether the benefits outweighed the risks from radiation from the scans and the dangers, stress and anxiety from unnecessary surgery and other treatment caused by false alarms. But in addition to reducing deaths from lung cancer, the new study found there was a reduction of 7 percent in deaths from any cause among those scanned.

Experts stressed that smoking was the leading cause of lung cancer and the best way to fight the disease was to either never smoke or stop smoking.

“These findings should in no way distract us from continued efforts to curtail the use of tobacco, which will remain the major causative factor for lung cancer and several other diseases,” Varmus said.

The study, which started in 2002, involved 53,500 men and women at 33 sites across the country. Participants had to have smoked at least 30 “pack-years,” which is calculated by multiplying the average number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day by the number of years the person smoked. They also had to have no signs or history of lung cancer.

The participants were randomly assigned to receive three annual screenings with either low-dose helical CT scans, which are also known as spiral CT scans, or a standard chest X-ray. The CT scans use X-rays to obtain multiple images of the chest. Most hospitals can perform the scans. The subjects were then followed for up to another five years to see who developed lung cancer. Those who were diagnosed received standard treatment.

A total of 354 deaths from lung cancer occurred among the subjects who underwent CT scans, compared with 442 among those who got the chest X-rays – a 20.3 percent reduction in lung cancer mortality.

The findings come as health experts have increasingly been questioning the value of screening for a variety of health problems. In recent years, experts have questioned whether mammography for breast cancer, PSA testing for prostate cancer and Pap smears for cervical cancer were being overused.

Becoming the Voice of Lung Cancer: College Students Nationwide Mobilize to BEAT this #1 Killer Cancer Following the Passing of 22-year-old Crew Team Member and Friend

San Francisco, CA (October 17, 2010)-For almost five years, Bonnie J. Addario and her foundation have been trying to get the message out to the world that Lung Cancer is the biggest killer in the country, ending the lives of more than 160,000 people a year. Yet the disease remains the lowest on the list of funding priorities.

But when 21-year-old college student Jill Costello was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer last year and died in June, 2010, one year later, she became an overnight champion against this horrific killer. DONATE TODAY TO TEAM JILL. Her will to live and her commitment to help others with the disease echoed through the corridors of college campuses across the country, inspiring thousands of college students. From her hometown in San Francisco to Boston, thousands of college coeds have showed up en masse to carry her message: “We have to BEAT LUNG CANCER – big time!”

It took the efforts of this coxswain and dynamo who led her California Golden Bears Crew team to a second place overall finish in the 2010 NCAA rowing Championships to bring the voices of those suffering with Lung Cancer into the national limelight. Lung Cancer has a survival rate of only 15.5% percent—a rate that has not changed in more than 40 years. In 1987, Lung Cancer surpassed breast cancer as the biggest killer of women.

Jill Costello’s voice has become a megaphone for Lung Cancer, as friends, teammates, coaches, and college students nationwide mobilize to carry her message in cities across the country. These young adults are discovering the power of their commitment to make a difference and are walking, running, and rowing their hearts out to do exactly that.

“They are on fire with determination to spread the word that something has to be done about this killer cancer, “ says Addario, a Lung Cancer survivor who launched the foundation five years ago following her own battle with the disease.

“Her shining spirit is contagious,” adds Addario. “This one young lady is changing the course of Lung Cancer. Her spirit is enrapturing and is uniting people everywhere to show up in droves and say “No more Lung Cancer for Jill.”

After over 20 rounds of chemotherapy and, according to her coach, Dave O’Neill, four different types of drug treatments, Jill, who never smoked, was told her cancer was terminal and that she and her medical team should focus on merely keeping her comfortable in her final days.

But this dynamo was unstoppable. Her efforts to rally support for lung cancer research took on an urgency.

“She was told that she only had a few weeks to live,” says O’Neill. “And you never would have known by her actions that she had been told. That’s when I knew that I was witnessing something absolutely amazing.”

During the final year of her life, Jill teamed up with the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, as Director of Public Awareness, in her hometown of San Francisco to lead a team determined to BEAT LUNG CANCER.

Jill rallied her crew teammates and just about every college student in the Bay area to stand up and take action against Lung Cancer.

Since June, from San Francisco to Boston, from Chicago to Santa Monica, over 10,000 walkers, runners, and donors have followed this trailblazer’s shining example to help raise more than $630,000 to wipe out lung cancer in more than 10 5K Walk/Runs. In early October, almost 200 students from the Harvard/Radcliff crew team showed up in force in Boston. In San Francisco, her friends showed up in 150 teams of college students – over 5,000 participants – and took over Golden Gate Park.

Watch the video here.

These “Jog for Jill” events have been sponsored by the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation in her honor.

“Jill said, ‘Dream of great things and always believe that what you want is attainable,” one of her best friends, K.C. Oakley, told the crowd in San Francisco.

K.C.’s message was directed to her friend, and to the crowd: “Every athletic team from Berkeley is represented here today to race to the finish line with you and for all of us….the football, rugby, diving, rowing, softball, gymnastics, baseball, water polo, Lacrosse, crew teams, hockey, golf, basketball, swimming, tennis, all of your grammar school and high school followers, all of your friends and family, from St. Ignatius to Peninsula People to Pines People who LOVE Jilly to Team Fresh and Lovely, to doctors and researchers you know and don’t know. Your mom said, ‘Everyone she’s ever known is here.’ Oh!!! And all the MOMS are here too.

“The work you have done in your short life for lung cancer is building an unstoppable momentum for the foundation and everyone on this planet who needs our help,” K.C. told the crowd.

“Let’s just say, Jill, you have put together an incredible dream team that’s not going to stop growing. We’re not going to stop fighting till we BEAT LUNG CANCER.

Jill’s case made people everywhere rethink the stigma of lung cancer. With her powerful will, and upbeat outlook, Jill shocked us, inspired us with her strength and courage, and helped us better understand the problem on our hands. Now, it is up to everyone here today to keep her soul alive in all of us and follow her dreams to BEAT LUNG CANCER. Today is just the beginning,” K.C. added.

Investments in Jill’s determination and donations to Jog for Jill can be made throughout 2011. Click here to BEAT LUNG CANCER. The 2011 walk/run/jog series will continue the fight with TEAM JILL’S around the country.

VIEW PHOTOS HERE A message from Bonnie: “Thank you to each and every one of you. We were 5,000 strong in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, September 12th, and I am happy to say that we have to change venues next year because there were so many people. When Jill died this year, I was asked to speak at her service. I told everyone there that my goal was to make so much NOISE for Lung Cancer that the police had to come. Well, I am proud to say  ‘Mission Accomplished.’

Thank you to ALL who formed teams and came out in record droves to celebrate the beginning of the end of Lung Cancer. I was with all of you in spirit and at my father’s bedside while you were making all of my dreams for Lung Cancer move forward. I lost my father, Leon Attabit, on that evening. I look forward to 10,000 people at Chrissy Field next year. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”–Bonnie J. Addario

We will be adding all of your pictures and videos to this section as we go, so please continue to visit. The Jog for Jill website will remain open for three months. Click on READ MORE to order bracelets and view more pictures and videos.
JOG FOR JILL VIDEO FROM A 7TH GRADER

PHOTOS FROM ROCKSKIPPER PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOS FROM RICK WASHBURN

DAILY CAL VIDEO FROM SEPTEMBER 12TH

DAILY CALIFORNIAN ARTICLE

RUNNING DOWN A DREAM, SEPTEMBER 9

JOG FOR JILL VIDEO (PRE-EVENT)

ART U Women’s Basketball Team “Jogs for Jill”

TEAM “MOMS” PHOTOS You’ll need a username: jog4jill and Password: 2010

SEPT 15, 2010 DAILY CAL ARTICLE AND PHOTOS

SEPT. 21, 2010 THE HARVARD CRIMSON

October 1, 2010 THE HARVARD CRIMSON

“Team Jill” FOREVER!

RUNNING DOWN A DREAM IN THE DAILY CALIFORNIAN 9.9.10

SEE ZHENG CAO IN THE SF CHRON WITH 9.12.10 ANNOUNCEMENT

SEE WHAT GOT ANNOUNCED AT THE CAL GAME on 9.6.10 Go Bears!

SEE OUR DIRECTOR OF PATIENT ADVOCACY ON PENNTV

Jillian said: “On September 12, 2010, the Foundation is having a 5k walk/run in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California and I am inviting all of you to participate in my honor! Last year, “Team Jill” entered and won top fundraising team with over $10,000!!! This year I would like to up the ante and shoot for an even higher goal. I would like “Team Jill” to hit $25,000!!! Think we can do it? I have registered “Team Jill” and you are now welcome to join. This way we have all registered together.”
- Jillian Costello – June 20, 2010

We did it Jill!  “Jog for Jill” Walk/Run is coming up quickly and “Team Jill” is mobilizing like nothing we have seen before. It’s truly awe inspiring…just like Jill. Sign up today!

At her memorial, Jill’s cousin, John Morello, reminded us of Jill’s dream: “BEAT LUNG CANCER” and how we can all make her dream come true.

“Here now my family and friends, we have the opportunity…we can and we better offer Jill our legs. We can walk for Jill since she no longer can. We can support Jill’s Jog for Jill. Jill wanted to get the word out big on September 12th. Let’s show her that not only did she get the word out big, but we heard it.
Knowing Jill the way I did, I know she’d rather have you support her on September 12th, than all the tears today. Good thing we give her both.
I’d like this walk to be bigger than Jill could ever dream of. Please tell everyone you know so that we can have record numbers. Please sign up at the Bonnie J Addario Lung Cancer Foundation site for Team Jill. Please join Jill in spirit. Please, let’s not just talk the talk, but walk the walk!”

– John Morello

You can listen to John –  in his own words – in this video, spoken under amazingly beautiful photos of “Team Jill” colorfully celebrating the life of their fellow Cal, Kappa, St. Ignatius, Whispering Pines, Order of Malta, friend, cousin, daughter, sister – and true gift and treasure  to those who knew her (and to many who didn’t).

If you aren’t able to walk or run in “Jog for Jill” on September 12th, there are many ways you can still become a vital part of “Team Jill.” Although we reached and exceeded Jill’s goal of $25,000 in one month…in fact, we’ll be doubling that in a few minutes–let’s continue to make it even BIGGER. And special thanks to CBS Outdoor, Titan 360, the design and ad team at Engine 1 for a combined ad campaign donation of $122,000!!! 80 buses have been driving around San Francisco day and night to GET THE WORD OUT BIG TIME along with five of the city’s best positioned 48-foot billboards. Clear Channel is generously running radio ads on all of their stations. Now, if we can just get the news to cover the event…we’ll have TV too! Oh and that newspaper…the Chronicle…we’ve got a story for you!

It’s called HOW TO BEAT LUNG CANCER. Bonnie has always wanted the world to know that the beginning of the end of Lung Cancer is here. She always believed it was going to take a village and tragically; now, also a child. But Jill’s dream and resolve is shared by so many families, friends and others living with Lung Cancer who will all be moving the MOVEMENT forward to a better day for everyone affected by Lung Cancer. We can do this, together on September 12th. Join the thousands of people who are part of this event in San Francisco and donors from all over the world. Know that you are a huge part of the tipping point for Lung Cancer and the largest single event for Lung Cancer in history.

Jill’s favorite color was turquoise.  Turquoise wristbands with “Jog for Jill” inscribed were handed out at her memorial services.  Due to overwhelming demand from people across the country, we have created additional wristbands with the following message: “Jog for Jill” and “Beat Lung Cancer.”

So, here’s how you can donate to “Team Jill” and proudly carry her legacy with you – wherever you go!

Go to this site.

In the “Contribution Amount” section located at the top of the page, please make a minimum donation of $5 per bracelet.

In the “In Memory/In Honor of” section go to “Their Name.” Please type in “Jillian Costello.”

In “Their Address” section type the number of bracelets you want and “Jog for Jill Bracelets.” Example: 6 Jog for Jill Bracelets.

We will mail the bracelets to the address given and all donations for the “Jog for Jill Bracelets” will be added to TEAM JILL.

If you don’t want a bracelet, but still want to contribute to “Jog for Jill,” you can make a donation here.

There is still time to start or join a team, too. You can register here.

We are DEFINITELY “walking the walk,” Jill! And you will be right there by our side every step of the way.

For general donations to the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation please donate here.