IASLC to grant awards for five different advocacy groups on 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer

Lung and thoracic cancer advocacy organizations are invited to apply for travel awards to send their representatives to the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer, to be held July 3-7, 2011 in Amsterdam.

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) will grant awards to five different advocacy groups, covering one representative from each organization. The awards include free registration, up to five nights' accommodation and a fixed amount to cover travel expenses to the conference, the world's largest meeting dedicated to lung cancer and thoracic malignancies. Recipients also will enjoy free IASLC affiliate membership for one year.

This is the first year that the IASLC has offered travel awards to its biennial world conference, a leading forum for lung cancer specialists since 1978. IASLC is committed to engaging advocacy organizations in its mission to use all available means to eliminate lung cancer as a health threat for the individual patient and throughout the world.

"With this decision to support advocate attendance at the World Conference, IASLC has increased its commitment within the area of lung cancer advocacy," IASLC Director of Membership Kristin Richeimer said. "We have a lot to learn from, and a lot to contribute to the work existing advocacy organizations are already involved in worldwide. We aim to be a resource that helps connect advocacy organizations to each other, and to the constantly evolving science being developed by IASLC members who are world leaders in lung cancer research and treatment."

Applicants for the Advocacy Travel Award will be required to submit documentation confirming the organization's non-profit status, annual revenue and organizational structure, a summary of expected outcomes for attending the WCLC 2011, descriptions of previous collaboration with IASLC or other successful advocacy initiatives, as well as other supporting documentation required by IASLC. To be eligible to apply, all organizations must include lung cancer-specific advocacy as a primary mission and function.