Indiana Lung Cancer Advocate Travels to Washington, D.C. to Share Personal Story with Lawmakers

— West Indianapolis resident Andre Arnold is a lung cancer advocate who lost his wife to the disease. On Monday April 7, Arnold will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with his members of Congress as part of the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day on April 9. Arnold will join more than 40 other LUNG FORCE Heroes from across the nation who have also been impacted by lung cancer. This is the tenth year for the nationwide event that amplifies the voices of lung cancer survivors, caregivers, and advocates to share their personal stories with lawmakers to drive lifesaving change.  

Arnold’s cancer journey began when his wife, Alesha, developed a persistent cough in 2017. Her primary doctor misdiagnosed her as having allergies and treated her with over-the-counter allergy medication. In July 2019 she went to a new doctor who had Alesha get a chest x-ray during the first appointment. That x-ray led to Alesha being diagnosed with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer with an EGFR mutation. The diagnosis came as a surprise to Alesha who was a 44-year-old breast cancer research nurse, a non-smoker and mother of two young girls. Advanced genetic testing showed Alesha was a candidate for targeted therapy which extended her life another 3 ½ years.

“There are three truths about lung cancer: It is the No. 1 cancer killer, anyone with lungs can get lung cancer, and most importantly, research and scientific discoveries—like targeted therapy—gave me and my daughters three additional healthy years with Alesha,” said Arnold. “The drug that gives the next young mother with stage 4 lung cancer 10 years is just around the corner, but it is out of reach without funding and support for these organizations. Please continue to fund the NIH and CDC—for my daughters and yours.”

Arnold leaves for Washington, D.C. Monday morning and hopes to educate people about the importance of access to health care and insurance. During Advocacy Day, he will speak with Senators Jim Banks and Todd Young, and Representative Andre Carson and their staff to share his personal experience with lung cancer.

This year’s event is particularly crucial as proposed federal budget cuts and policy changes threaten to undermine progress in lung cancer research, prevention and access to affordable healthcare. LUNG FORCE Heroes will share their stories and advocate for protecting lifesaving research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), critical public health prevention and protections at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the importance of Medicaid in providing health coverage for people with and at risk for lung cancer.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day and support Andre Arnold, the Lung Association invites all Hoosiers to join the movement by visiting LUNGFORCE.org/AdvocacyDay and:

• Calling your Senators and Representatives to echo the voices of LUNG FORCE Heroes.
• Sending an email to Congress to advocate for continued support of lung cancer research and healthcare access.
• Engaging with lawmakers on social media to raise awareness and inspire action.

To request an interview with Andre Arnold, please contact Janye Killelea at Janye.Killelea@Lung.org or call (312) 940-7624. For more details about the 2025 LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day or the American Lung Association’s ongoing efforts to end lung cancer, visit LUNGFORCE.org.