The Dusty Joy Foundation is a small, non-profit public interest organization serving the lung cancer community founded in 2010. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that comprises a board of directors, board of advisors and an executive director. As of February 1, 2012, all organizational staff, officers and board members serve as nonpaid volunteers. Based in High Point, NC, the Foundation is led by founder, lung cancer survivor and advocate Dusty Joy Donaldson, who leverages her professional expertise, fundraising experience, networking and marketing skills to further lung cancer advocacy. Dusty completed her Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University in 2011. Our programs operate through an online presence with a national target audience as well as community initiatives.
Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer of men and women. It kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and melanoma cancers--combined. Our mission is to improve the lives of those touched by lung cancer through targeted programs promoting education, early detection and compassion. The work done by our organization helps usher in much needed research, especially for early detection.
Lung cancer is called the invisible cancer and its "color" is clear, similar to breast cancer's pink campaign. Our organization uses biodegradable, clear balloons to symbolize lung cancer deaths. Clear balloons are a powerful, yet subdued representation of the lives lost to lung cancer. Red balloons will be a bold representation of lung cancer survivors. Red also represents the heart of the Dusty Joy Foundation, which is founded on "compassion for those touched by lung cancer."
In its inaugural year, the Dusty Joy Foundation highlighted lung cancer cases in North Carolina, where the organization is based. Clear and red balloons against a blue sky deliver a powerful visual story that demonstrates lung cancer's impact on Americans' lives.
The Problem
"You have lung cancer."
Those four words will be spoken to nearly 220,000 Americans this year. And with a dismal 16 percent survival rate, lung cancer patients face the fight of their lives. Before the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, lung cancer will claim the lives of 160,000 Americans.
As if the diagnosis itself were not sufficiently devastating, lung cancer patients are stigmatized during the most critical time of their lives. "Do you smoke?" is the most common response received by those who reveal their diagnosis. That question blames patients for causing their disease through socially unacceptable behavior: smoking.
Whether they smoked or not, the question implies the patient is to blame for the disease. Researchers at University of Oxford studied this phenomenon. "Stigma, shame, and blame experienced by patients with lung cancer: Qualitative study" published in the June 23, 2004 issue of British Medical Journal, found that lung cancer patients felt stigmatized "whether they smoked or not." The researchers also concluded that "Interaction with family, friends, and doctors was often affected as a result, and many patients, particularly those who had stopped smoking years ago or had never smoked, felt unjustly blamed for their illness." The stigma contributed to patients concealing their illness, and living with heightened fear and anxiety.
However, approximately 65 percent of Americans diagnosed with lung cancer do not smoke. Half already quit, most more than a decade ago. Moreover, between 15% and 20% never smoked. Those who experience the sting of lung cancer's stigma--and virtually all lung cancer patients do--suffer on a personal level. But the problem is much greater than hurt feelings.
On a national level, the stigma of lung cancer has created a culture of research disparity. Lung cancer is the number 1 cancer killer. It kills more people than breast, colon, prostate, liver and kidney cancers combined. And yet, lung cancer is the least funded of all major cancers in terms of federal research dollars.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 21,000 Americans will die from radon-induced lung cancer this year. That's more than will die from home fires, home falls, drowning, drunk driving or AIDS.
Make no mistake: Smoking is the greatest risk factor for developing lung cancer. However, nearly twice as many Americans who never smoked die from lung cancer than from AIDS (28,000 and 14,110, respectively see www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/us.htm.)
Yet there is significantly more research funding--and arguably more compassion--for AIDS. These comparisons are not an attempt to begrudge funding of research for other diseases. They are intended to illuminate the justification for increased lung cancer research. AIDS research has saved untold thousands from what used to be certain death. Breast cancer research has resulted in great advances in treatment and increased survivorship. No one wants to take away from these just causes. What do we want? We want equal treatment for those with lung cancer.
Our organization helps educate the public concerning the facts that anyone can get lung cancer and everyone deserves compassion--including smokers. Our foundation is built on the premise that the lack of compassion has led to the lack of research funding for lung cancer, and thus, its high death rate. Our outreach and educational programs help pave the way for increased lung cancer research funding.
Our organization has several programs. One is LiveLung, a web portal serving the lung cancer community. Another is a grassroots campaign to raise lung cancer awareness through a balloon release and educational rally campaign. Balloon releases have been held in communities in North Carolina and Virginia symbolizing lives lost to lung cancer and surviving lung cancer.
As symbolical of our lungs, the balloon is the distinctive feature of our organization's logo and brand. The number of balloons released during each event is determined by the estimated lung cancer incidences in that community.
Our first balloon release was held in Forsyth County on March 19, 2010, during the Wake Forest University Healthcare Conference. In Forsyth County, 295 residents were diagnosed with lung cancer and 226 died from lung cancer. Our volunteers released 295 balloons during the Healthcare Conference. Of those, 226 were clear balloons and 69 were red.
Clear balloons, representing lung cancer's "color" are symbolic of the lives lost to lung cancer in that county this year. Red balloons symbolize lung cancer survivors.
Each balloon release event is organized to gain maximum community involvement and impact, including a rally with local leaders, media, advocates, doctors and area residents touched by lung cancer. A press kit features a fact sheet about lung cancer, lung cancer data specific for that community and, when possible, a local lung cancer survivor's story. The balloon releases are often videotaped and uploaded to this website.
Environmental Impact of Balloon Releases: Our balloons are made from the sap of rubber trees; they are latex, organic and biodegradable. According to D.K. Burchette's research, "A Study of the Effect of Balloon Releases on the Environment," latex balloons decompose at a rate equal to or faster than oak leaves under similar conditions. Burchette makes several recommendations to minimize any impact balloon releases may have on the environment. The Foundation will adhere to the study's recommendations, as follows:
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Use only latex balloons (no foil or Mylar);
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Tie balloons (no plastic or metal clips);
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No strings attached.
Our organization understands that, even though scientific evidence points to the contrary, some people object to balloon releases based on misinformation about the potential damage to wildlife and the environment. Our people will be respectful of others, comply with local ordinances and select friendly venues to conduct our releases.
Our goals are to provide a positive environment to achieve the following:
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Raise awareness of the #1 cancer killer;
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Educate the public about the lung cancer facts;
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Help usher in research that will lead to early detection of lung cancer;
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Send balloons like prayers to heaven that inspire others with hope for a better future.
The Dusty Joy Foundation is a proud member of the Lung Cancer Action Network (www.LungCAN.org) and the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits (www.ncnonprofits.org).
Our management team comprises a board of directors, board of advisors, officers and an executive director, all serving as volunteers. Founder, lung cancer survivor and advocate Dusty Joy Donaldson serves as Executive Director. The organization is controlled by the following Board of Directors:
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Angie Flynn, RN, Lung Cancer Navigator (Forsyth Medical)
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Cynthia Smart, RN, Lung Cancer Navigator (Forsyth Medical)
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Peppi Browne-Armstrong, MS, MBA (healthcare concentration), Market Segment Manager (IBM Global Business Services)
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Kimberly Dawn Lester, BS, Technical writer (McQuay)
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Amy Renee Williams, IT professional (Wake Forest University)
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Elizabeth Tindel, Operations Director (Kennesaw State)
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Dusty Donaldson, MA, lung cancer survivor and founder