Stories of Change

As World Lung Cancer Month shines a spotlight on the urgent need for research and better treatment options, the Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, Thoracic Oncology Endowed Program Support Fund is demonstrating the power of one act of generosity to inspire another. 

From Physician to Patient 

For decades, Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, has helped advance the field of lung cancer care through research, clinical trials and the training of future thoracic oncology specialists. His work has contributed to the development and evaluation of targeted therapies that have transformed treatment options for many patients with lung cancer. 

Then, in 2022, his story took an unexpected turn when he became a lung cancer patient himself. 

When he reviewed his own chest X-ray, Dr. Camidge knew immediately what it showed. After years spent caring for patients with lung cancer, he suddenly found himself facing the very disease he had dedicated his career to understanding and treating. 

That experience reinforced the patient-centered philosophy that has guided his work throughout his career: 

"We don't treat lab models. We treat people with lives that cancer is in the way of." 

It is that commitment to improving patients' lives that inspired the creation of a fund designed to continue Dr. Camidge's impact for years to come, supporting both research and the training of future thoracic oncology leaders. 

A Community Responds 

Earlier this year, the University of Colorado Anschutz Cancer Center established the Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, Thoracic Oncology Endowed Program Support Fund to bolster lung cancer research and the training of future leaders in thoracic oncology. A grateful patient family helped launch the effort by pledging to match the first $100,000 raised. 

Supporters quickly rallied to meet the challenge, helping create momentum around a fund designed to accelerate discoveries and improve care for patients facing lung cancer. 

The response was so inspiring that it caught the attention of another patient whose life had been touched by Dr. Camidge's care. 

Encouraged by the community's generosity, that individual stepped forward to create a second $100,000 matching opportunity, giving supporters another chance to double the impact of their gifts. 

Building on Momentum 

That momentum has now carried the fund past two significant milestones. Thanks to the generosity of patients, families and supporters, both $100,000 matching challenges were met, raising more than $400,000 in total. Among those contributions was a $50,000 commitment from ALK Positive, Inc., an organization that has worked closely with Dr. Camidge to advance awareness, research and advocacy for ALK-positive lung cancer. With both matches fulfilled, the generosity that began with one grateful family continues to build a lasting legacy of research, education and improved care for patients facing lung cancer.

With our donation to this fund, we are delighted and privileged to support the sustenance and growth of one of the strongest thoracic oncology research programs in the country. It has made a unique difference for ALK+ patients around the world, offering the only remote consults available until recently. Thank you to Dr. Camidge for being a leader in both science and compassionate, empathetic care. 

-ALK Positive, Inc. 

As World Lung Cancer Month highlights the ongoing need for research and innovation, the momentum behind this effort offers a powerful reminder of how progress happens. One family's gift inspired others to give. One matching opportunity led to another. And together, those acts of generosity are helping expand research, train future specialists and create new possibilities for patients and families affected by lung cancer. 

The matching challenges may be complete, but the opportunity to make a difference continues. Every gift to the Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, Thoracic Oncology Endowed Program Support Fund helps sustain the momentum behind lung cancer research, education and patient care. Make a gift to the fund and help carry this important work forward.