LUNGevity Foundation, one of the largest organizations in the United States focused on lung cancer, recently announced that Dennis Bookshester is joining the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Bookshester is an accomplished businessman with proven experience and educational achievement in the private sector. He has held several prestigious leadership positions in the retail industry, including CEO and President of Fruit of the Loom; CEO and President of Zale Corporation and Carson Pirie Scott & Company’s Vice Chairman. He is now joining LUNGevity to help the foundation expand its national influence.
Mr. Bookshester has also advised many top leading companies, such as Turtle Wax, Inc. and Playboy Enterprises as a member of the board and a trustee. He also shared his expertise and knowledge with other nonprofit companies and organizations such as the Chicago Chamber of Commerce, The United Way and United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Chicago. Dennis is currently working as an independent consultant and investor. He received his own lung cancer diagnosis in 2013 and is now a leading advocate for early detection of the disease.
Lung Cancer affects 1 out of every 15 people in the United States, and over 221,000 Americans will receive a lung cancer diagnosis this year. 60 to 65 percent of the new lung cancers that will be diagnosed will occur among those who have never smoked or are former smokers that no longer smoke. Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related death, since it kills more people than breast, colorectal and prostate cancers combined. Only 17 percent of all people diagnosed with lung cancer survive at least 5 years; however, when detected before it spreads the survival chances highly improve.
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Andrea Stern Ferris, chairman and president of LUNGevity Foundation said in a press release: “We are extremely honored that Dennis agreed to serve on our board. His outstanding record of corporate leadership in the retail industry will bring a unique, strategic perspective to the Foundation. We are excited to build on our strengths and plan for the future with Dennis’ guidance.”
Other Recent News About Lung Cancer
The developer of True Human™ therapeutic antibodies, XBiotech Inc. recently announced the results of a clinical trial for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in which patients were treated with the Company’s lead True Human antibody, Xilonix™. The study was conducted at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and the results will be published in the upcoming Investigational New Drugs journal. The results reveal Xilonix anti-IL-1alpha therapy efficacy in patients with NSCLC that underwent treatment with EGFR inhibitors. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for 85% to 90% of all lung cancers.