Jill Feldman, Lung Cancer Patient and Advocate, Co-Founder of EGFR Resisters, shared AACR’s post on LinkedIn:
“I’m deeply honored to receive the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research Distinguished Patient Advocacy and Engagement Award. Words can hardly express what this honor means to me, as I am here because of research and those who have devoted their lives to advancing it. This honor is not mine alone. It reflects the work of so many advocates who consistently push for better research, better care, and better understanding of what it means to live with cancer. I share this recognition with them.
After losing both my parents and other loved ones to lung cancer, I was desperate to find a way to confront the disease that devastated my family. But back in 2000, Lung cancer was a very different world. There were very few treatment options, little funding and public awareness, and no community for patients and families.
The first organization dedicated to lung cancer research was founded in my community in 2001, and I got involved shortly after it began. When I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009, research became more than hope. It became a lifeline.
Advocacy helped me find my voice and taught me how to transform suffering into purpose. I would not be the advocate I am today without the founders of LUNGevity filling a badly needed gap, and without the many patients, advocates, clinicians, scientists, nurses, organizations, and companies I’ve had the privilege to work alongside. Over the years, I’ve been honored to collaborate with people from all over the world who are committed to making research more relevant, equitable, and humane. I continue to learn from all of them and remain grateful to be a part of this community
Thank you to AACR for this extraordinary honor. There is still much more work to do, but today and this weekend, I celebrate how far this community has come and the progress we have made.”
Quoting American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)‘s post:
“We are pleased to announce Senator Susan Collins as the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Public Service Award, and Jill Feldman as the recipient of the 2026 AACR Distinguished Patient Advocacy and Engagement Award. They will both be honored at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego.”
Other articles featuring Jill Feldman and AACR on OncoDaily.