Benay Taub Lung Cancer Research Act to create specialized federal task force
On Nov. 24, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced the introduction of new legislation to combat lung cancer, cut through red tape, streamline health care access, and increase funding for research.
The Benay Taub Lung Cancer Research Act would create a specialized federal task force made up of members from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Health (NIH), and CDC’s National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program to address gaps in access to lung cancer screenings, recommend best practices for early detection, and ensure sufficient funding. The bill is named after lung cancer research advocate and Lung Cancer Research Foundation board member, Benay Taub.
The IMPACT (Improving Medicaid Precision and Cancer Testing) Act would extend Medicaid coverage for medically necessary biomarker testing for lung cancer. The bipartisan bill is co-led by Rep. John Rutherford (FL-5).
The Lung Cancer MAP (Medicare Access to Precise Testing) Act cuts red tape to ensure patients receive the fastest specialized treatment, breaking down barriers that restrict testing only to later-staged cancer. The bipartisan bill is co-led by Rep. Jen Kiggans (VA-2).
Rep. Gottheimer is also supporting the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act and the Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act.
“I still cannot believe that I have lung cancer, let alone stage 4 incurable metastatic lung cancer,” Taub told those gathered for the announcement. “I live a healthy lifestyle. I do not smoke. I had no known risk factors, other than one… I have lungs. And if you have lungs, you can get lung cancer.”
Hear her remarks below, along with some words from Rep. Gottheimer.
LCRF is very grateful for the supporters across the country who host creative events that bring people together and make a meaningful impact for lung cancer research. Two incredible examples are Toss for a Cause and the Drive for a Cure Golf Tournament — both born from love, loss, and the determination to make a difference.
Toss for a Cause
What started as a way to honor a father’s memory has grown into an annual tradition that unites an entire community. Founded by Ryan and Jordan Kurrle in memory of Jordan’s father, Alan Eng, who passed away from lung cancer in 2022, the BreathENG for Baba team has hosted a cornhole tournament for the past three years — raising more than $38,000 for lung cancer research.
Held at a local Elks Lodge in the Baltimore-Washington area, the event draws family and friends for an afternoon of cornhole, raffles, food trucks, and laughter. Even those who don’t toss a single bag still show up to support a cause that matters deeply to them. Jordan and Ryan are empowered to raise awareness about lung cancer and the need for research funding!
Drive for a Cure
In Rhode Island, the Drive for a Cure: Gregory Rubino Memorial Golf Tournament has been an annual labor of love for five years, raising approximately $68,000 to fund lifesaving research in Gregory’s memory. Gregory’s brother, Joseph Rubino, leads this special event alongside family and friends. With local sponsors, live music, dinner, and exciting raffles, the tournament has become a cherished tradition that brings hope to all who attend.
Gregory’s story began in late 2020, when he experienced headaches and confusion that led to a devastating diagnosis — stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to his brain. Just five months later, Greg passed away, leaving behind a legacy of strength and love.
This year marked the tournament’s final event, and it was truly one for the books. On behalf of LCRF and everyone impacted by lung cancer, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Rubino family for continuing Gregory’s legacy through this remarkable fundraiser.
Whether it’s cornhole or golf or another sport, events like these remind us that coming together can spark real change! (and create some friendly competition!)
This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we’re celebrating the creativity and courage of supporters who turn gatherings into impact. From trivia nights to annual parties, these events raise awareness, fund research, and bring people together to spread hope.
Do It for Dan: Trivia Night
“The Do It for Dan Foundation was created to honor Dan’s legacy by turning our grief into meaningful action.”
When Dan Begg was diagnosed in November 2023 with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer caused by a rare EGFR Exon 20 insertion mutation, he was just 32 — healthy, active, and full of life. Despite the only targeted therapy and a clinical trial, he passed away six months later.
In his final days, Dan made one last act of generosity by choosing to donate his body to the National Cancer Institute to support future research. His tumor is now part of a groundbreaking study at MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the first of its kind for this rare mutation.
His wife, Josephine, created the Do It for Dan Foundation to honor his legacy by “turning our grief into meaningful action.” She says, “I lost my husband after just six months. He had a rare mutation, and the only available treatment didn’t work. For him — and for our daughter — I wanted to do something that could help ensure other families have more options than we did.”
Determined to keep his spirit alive, Josephine decided to try something new — a Trivia Night for Research. “We’d hosted other fundraisers before, but I wanted an event that really brought people together in a fun, interactive way,” she explains. “Trivia felt like the perfect fit.”
With the help of friends and family, she organized a night filled with laughter, connection, and purpose: a reflection of how loved Dan was. Each round of trivia didn’t just spark competition; it sparked conversation about why lung cancer research and awareness are so vital.
Josephine says that for her, “Hope is seeing more FDA-approved immunotherapy treatments and more drugs moving successfully through clinical trials. Some mutations have only one treatment option, and others have none. Expanding those options is what hope means to me.”
Her advice for others thinking about hosting their own fundraiser? “You absolutely can. If everyone believed their contribution didn’t matter, no one would ever try. Even a small impact is still an impact. Research ideas, get creative, and don’t hesitate to reach out and cold email everyone! You’ll be amazed by how many local businesses and community members are eager to help make a difference.”
Josephine at the event
Jeanne May Coffey: 10th Anniversary Blow Out
“This year is in memory of my biggest supporter: Mom.”
Jeanne’s story is one of incredible resilience. After surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and a targeted therapy, Jeanne has remained positive. “Hope looks good to me as a lung cancer patient,” she says. “From day one, I’ve put in my mind that I am no different than before my diagnosis. All the research done before has allowed me to live a regular, happy life. Research is the key for me — for myself and for others.”
This is Jeanne’s 10th year raising funds for lung cancer research, with more than $95,000 donated to date. The celebration every year includes generous prize donations, a special JetBlue raffle, live music, dancing, drinks, food and great company! “I have always been a giving person,” Jeanne says. “I had always wanted to host a fundraiser — this awful diagnosis gave me the reason. The rally of people behind me gave me the strength and perseverance to do it the first year after diagnosis.”
Jeanne wants to share to her friends, family and medical team: “Thank you for supporting our efforts over the last nine years. We’re so grateful for our physicians and for you.”
“My advice for anyone thinking about hosting their own fundraiser? Do it! You’ll feel so good being part of helping research go on. You’ll find people who want to help, and you’ll meet others whose lives have been touched by cancer. Fundraising means the world to me — it makes me feel part of a team in the fight against this disease.”
The Lung Cancer Research Foundation is proud to recognize Pfizer Oncology as the National Presenting Sponsor of our Free to Breathe Events Program. Their continued partnership has been instrumental in helping communities across the country come together in hope, remembrance, and action.
Turning a meeting into meaning
Pfizer’s dedication to lung cancer research and patient support extends far beyond sponsorship. This year, their Precision Medicine team hosted a Free to Breathe Walk right on their campus during their annual team meeting in La Jolla, CA. The group organized their own opening ceremony, symbolizing unity with the lung cancer community nationwide. It was a moving display of their team’s passion and personal commitment to the cause.
Walking with purpose
That spirit of solidarity has been felt across the country. Pfizer supported our Free to Breathe Chicago Walk, which brought together more than 700 attendees in the fight to end lung cancer. And at our Free to Breathe Kansas City, the community was deeply inspired by Kelly Huffman, a Pfizer employee living with lung cancer, who shared her story of courage and resilience during the opening ceremony. Her message of hope reminded everyone that funding research truly makes a difference.
Kelly speaks in Kansas CityAnthony Demirjian in Chicago
No one in this family fights alone
Pfizer’s Precision Medicine team lives by the motto: “No one in this family fights alone.” Those words perfectly capture what the Free to Breathe community stands for—coming together as one family, walking side by side to fund groundbreaking research and support those affected by lung cancer. “We’re incredibly grateful to Pfizer Oncology for their partnership, passion, and leadership in advancing our collective mission,” said Emma Nestler, LCRF’s Senior Manager, Community Engagement. “Together, we’re walking toward a future free from lung cancer.”
NEW YORK, NY (November 11, 2025) – The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) is pleased to welcome Benay Taub to its Board of Directors.
Benay Taub
Benay Taub was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in June 2024, despite having no known risk factors for the disease. Her experience has inspired her to raise awareness, foster understanding, and advocate for increased funding to advance life-saving and life-changing lung cancer research. She is deeply committed to supporting innovation and is hopeful that progress will lead to better treatments and brighter futures for all those affected by lung cancer.
Benay earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Brooklyn Law School. She is a Mediator in the State of New York and has been actively involved in numerous charitable and community-based organizations, serving on several Boards of Directors. She also holds certificates from the International Culinary Center and the New York Bartending School.
Benay and her husband, Steven, are the proud parents of four children.
Most recently, Ms. Taub was the featured patient speaker at the LCRF Evening of Innovation gala, and the Taubs have funded an LCRF Team Science award titled 2025 LCRF Team Science Award on Advancing Therapies Toward Curing EGFR Mutated Lung Cancers, which will be awarded in early 2026.
“It is meaningful for me to be joining LCRF as a board member,” said Benay Taub. “Lung cancer research, which has been historically underfunded, is the reason that people like me have hope for the future. I look forward to working with the other board members and staff, helping LCRF shape its future in funding impactful research that will continue to save lives.”
“Benay’s energy and drive will be a great addition to LCRF’s Board of Directors,” remarked Colleen Conner Zeigler, chair of LCRF’s board. “Having her perspective as someone with a relatively new diagnosis will be instrumental as we embark on our strategic plan to double the organization’s research investment. We’re excited to have her with us.”
“Benay understands what it takes to turn big ideas into meaningful progress,” said Aubrey Rhodes, LCRF’s executive director. “She bridges her lived experience with the latest research advances, highlighting the real-world impact that science has on the entire lung cancer community. Her leadership as an LCRF board member will be invaluable as we expand our research program to improve outcomes and extend survival for people living with lung cancer.”
To learn more about LCRF, its volunteer leadership, its funded research, and its grants program, visit www.LCRF.org.
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About the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) The Lung Cancer Research Foundation® (LCRF) is the leading nonprofit organization focused on funding innovative, high-reward research with the potential to extend survival and improve quality of life for people with lung cancer. LCRF’s mission is to improve lung cancer outcomes by funding research for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of lung cancer. To date, LCRF has funded 431 research grants, totaling nearly $49 million, the highest amount provided by a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding lung cancer research. For more information, visit lcrf.org.
LCRF’s 2025 Scientific Symposium, Current and Emerging Hot Topics in Lung Cancer, was held November 5 to kick off our Lung Cancer Awareness Month activities. Watch the replay below. The slide deck can be downloaded here.
Learn more about our program participants:
Host
Kathryn A. O’Donnell, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Co-leader, Development and Cancer Program, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chair, LCRF Scientific Advisory Board
Presenters
Sarah Goldberg, MD, MPH Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology) and Associate Director, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program; Research Director, Center for Thoracic Cancers, Yale School of Medicine
Member, LCRF Scientific Advisory Board
Colleen Conner-Ziegler Patient Advocate
Chair, LCRF Board of Directors
Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD Thoracic Surgeon, Massachusetts General Hospital; Founding Director, MGH CAIIRE; Associate Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School Founder and Chair, American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative
Don L. Gibbons, MD, PhD Isaiah J. Fidler Professorship in Cancer Research, Professor & Deputy Chair; Director, Translational Genetic Models Laboratory; Co-Leader, Lung Cancer Moon Shot Program; Dept. Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Dept. Molecular & Cellular Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
James DeGregori, PhD Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics; Courtenay C. and Lucy Patten Davis Endowed Chair in Lung Cancer Research; Deputy Director, University of Colorado Cancer Center, University of Colorado Anschutz
Moderator
Isabel Preeshagul, DO, MBS Assistant Attending Physician, Thoracic Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Sometimes, the most powerful fundraisers start with the simplest idea: a pitcher of lemonade and a whole lot of heart.
This summer, several young supporters showed how something as small as a lemonade stand can make a big impact on lung cancer research.
Stella hosted her stand at her grandma’s house this August to honor her dad, Jackie DeShazo Jr., who passed away from lung cancer in 2020 at age 35 — when Stella was just 3 years old. “My dad loved my grandma’s lemonade,” she said. “I wanted to honor him by making lemonade and raising money to support other people and families.” When asked her one word to describe her experience, Stella said, “Fantastic!”
Stella (right) and a friend at her lemonade stand
Wynter spent her summer running a “LemonAID” stand to show support for her dad, Jeremy Heinen, who is living with lung cancer. “My daddy was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2024,” Wynter said. “It has inspired me to raise money for lung cancer research so maybe someday no kid will have to watch their daddy fight this ugly disease ever again.”
Her mom, her mom’s best friend, and several of Wynter’s friends pitched in to set up the booth, prepare and sell treats, and accept donations.
Along with lemonade, Wynter baked cookies, made white ribbon bracelets, and poured love into every cup she sold to show her dad how much she believes in him.
“My advice for someone thinking about hosting their own fundraiser is to just jump in and just do it,” she said. “I’m only 10 years old, came up with this idea on my own, and we raised almost $10,000. If I can do it (with a little help from my parents and friends), then anyone can!”
Wynter (right) with her mom, VickieWynter with a friend at the lemonade stand
The Duffy family hosts their stand every year before the Chicago Free to Breathe Walk in memory of Lesley DeMaio Duffy, who passed away at 41 in 2018. Their team, Team DeMuffy, brings all the kids together to sell lemonade, raise funds, and celebrate Lesley’s life and legacy.
A few members of Team DeMuffy at this year’s Free to Breathe Chicago Walk
All of these kids are proof that when you mix love, creativity, and purpose, you can turn something hard into something hopeful. They remind us that fundraising can involve the whole family — it brings people together, teaches compassion, and spreads hope with every glass poured.
“Any little bit helps. If it means it saves one person from this awful disease, or gives someone extra time with their loved ones, then it makes all of this worth it,” Wynter said.
The Free to Breathe Anywhere Walk is underway through the end of the year – participants can walk whenever and wherever they would like. Walkers are still accepting donations, too!
October 4-5 was the official walk weekend, and participants all over the country formed groups big and small to show their support for lung cancer research. To date, the walk has raised over $100,000!
Sign up, make a donation, or learn more about the event at LCRF.org/anywhere.
Watch the Free to Breathe Anywhere Walk opening ceremony here:
Congratulations to our top fundraising teams as of October 5: Team Fitzpayne/Morningstar, Cancer Warriors for Research, Team Danimal, TeamAviators, and Grampy’s Angels. Top individuals to date are Al Fitzpayne, Archana Gupta, Sharon Munger, Maggie McCloskey, and Kate Veras.
A special thanks to our sponsors:
Pfizer Oncology, National Free to Breathe Program Sponsor
The sun was shining in Chicago on October 5 – an appropriate start to a day filled with hope and warmth. More than 700 participants joined forces for the Free to Breathe Chicago Walk and raised over $215,000 for research to support the patients, families, and friends affected by lung cancer.
Lexi Valasek, who shared her story as a patient with stage 4 lung cancer, remarked, “Research is an act of empathy. It’s a collective promise we make to one another. It says: Your life matters. Your fight is our fight. We’re not going to leave you to face this alone.”
“When we fund research, we’re not just writing a check,” she added. “We are investing in the human potential and the fundamental belief that we can and will defeat this disease.”
Hear Lexi’s full speech below. You can find more videos in our photo album.
Tejal Patel, a patient as well as a member of LCRF’s Board of Directors, told the crowd, “There are more treatment options than ever before, and in just the past few years, we’re continuing to see an exponential increase in new treatments approvals, and the pace of progress continues to accelerate. This momentum truly would not be possible without your support, but we can’t stop here. Lung cancer has historically been severely underfunded, and today that’s truer than ever, especially with the federal programs being cut.”
“We will push research forward and bring hope to so many families that are counting on all of us. Every single donation has the power to spark the next breakthrough, the next treatment, and the next reason for hope.”
Congratulations to our top fundraising teams: Team Diane, Lively Lungs, Breathe Easy Fight Hard, DeMuffy, and Team DL. Kudos to top fundraising individuals: Jim Dominici, John Dominici, Doug Pawlowski, Brian Duffy, and Tejal Patel.
