LUNGevity Foundation Community Champions Program Launched with Karriem Watson DHS, MS, MPH as the First Honoree

The program recognizes community leaders whose work exemplifies best practices in supporting people with lung cancer in at-risk communities

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LUNGevity Foundation

May 10, 2021, 07:10 ET

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation, the nation's leading lung cancer-focused nonprofit organization, is honored to announce the creation of the LUNGevity Community Champions program. Part of the organization's Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives, the program identifies and shines a light on community leaders whose work in engaging at-risk communities with lung cancer programs can inspire others.

LUNGevity named Karriem Watson, DHS, MS, MPH, as the program's first honoree for his dedication to addressing the needs of Chicago's neighborhoods at risk for lung cancer.

A native of Muskegon Heights, Michigan, Dr. Watson serves as the Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for the University of Illinois Cancer Center. He is also the Associate Executive Director of the Mile Square Health Center, which has the distinction of being among a handful of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the United States that has a direct affiliation with an academic medical center. UI Health Mile Square has 13 sites across Illinois and serves over 40,000 patients annually.

Dr. Watson's research and publications are deeply rooted in community engagement, health equity, and expanding clinical trials access to underrepresented groups. Recognized by his peers for his advancement of community health sciences, he has received funding from the National Institute of Health to address breast cancer disparities among African American women and cancer screening among racial/ethnic minorities. He also received financial support from the Chicago Department of Public Health to establish tobacco cessation and lung cancer screening.

"We're thrilled to name Dr. Watson as our first Community Champion," explained Jeanne Regnante, LUNGevity's Chief Health Equity and Diversity Officer. "Throughout his incredible career, Karriem has worked to highlight the intersectionality between health disparities, health equity, and social justice. We know others will be moved by his drive to ensure quality cancer care for all."

For Dr. Watson, his work is shaped by his personal experiences navigating the health care system. "My passion and commitment to serving communities are what led me to my current career path. When I moved to Chicago over 18 years ago, I was uninsured when I first received health care at Mile Square. Now, it is a full-circle moment that I am in leadership for the organization."

"Cancer took my parents and my brother, so this mission is very personal. I am honored to help patients in our community receive world-class cancer care and preventative services regardless of their ability to pay," he added.

About LUNGevity Foundation
LUNGevity Foundation is the nation's leading lung cancer organization focused on improving outcomes for people with lung cancer through research, policy initiatives, education, support, and engagement for patients, survivors, and caregivers. LUNGevity seeks to make an immediate impact on quality of life and survivorship for everyone touched by the disease—while promoting health equity by addressing disparities throughout the care continuum. LUNGevity works tirelessly to advance research into early detection and more effective treatments, provide information and educational tools to empower patients and their caregivers, promote impactful public policy initiatives, and amplify the patient voice through research and engagement. The organization provides an active community for patients and survivors—and those who help them live longer and better lives.

Comprehensive resources include a medically vetted and patient-centric website, a toll-free HELPLine for support, the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference, and an easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder, among other tools. All of these programs are to achieve our vision—a world where no one dies of lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is proud to be a four-star Charity Navigator organization.

Please visit www.LUNGevity.org to learn more.

About Lung Cancer in the US

About 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime.
More than 228,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year.
About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers.
Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three leading cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined.
Only 19% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically.

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation