Survivors and loved ones come together at 12th annual Lung Force Walk: "We support each other all the time"

Survivors of lung conditions, their families and advocates gathered at the Philadelphia Zoo Saturday for the 12th annual Philadelphia Lung Force Walk.

More than 1,000 people participated in the 1-mile walk. The trip took them around the zoo as families were encouraged to walk together while enjoying the zoo's animals along the way. 

Among the participants was Tiffany Fagnani, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017.

"I'm on my second line treatment now, and that medication was actually not approved. First-line treatment when I was diagnosed. And thanks to research and research funding, that medication was approved at the time that I needed it," Fagnani said.

Valerie Brown, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer twice, said events like the Lung Force Walk have helped her navigate a difficult battle. 

"We support each other all the time. It is so important. Anyone with lungs can get lung cancer. This can be a hard journey, and you sometimes need to lean on your community and your support people," Brown said.

Both women are team members with Lung Cancer Survivors of Greater Philadelphia.  

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the state of Pennsylvania and across the U.S, according to the American Lung Association. In the Greater Philadelphia region, an estimated 3,820 people are living with lung cancer, and an estimated 973,200 are living with lung disease. 

"My mother is a lung cancer survivor," said John Whetstine, who studies cancer and has a lab at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Whetstine says he received a grant through the American Lung Association because of money raised at events such as the Lung Force Walk. He says fundraising is what helps him and others advance their research to help detect cancers early and save those affected. 

For cancer survivors like Amy Grove, it's that research that gives her faith and keeps her determined to never give up.

"It gives us a lot of hope to see a lot of people here," said Grove, who is also a team member of Lung Cancer Survivors of Greater Philadelphia.

The fundraising goal for the Lung Force walk was $250,000. As of this writing, the event surpassed that goal by more than $10,000.