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

Runnells resident Lisa Bistline is a lung cancer advocate who’s living with lung cancer. On Monday April 7, Bistline will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with her members of Congress as part of the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day on April 9. Bistline 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.

Bistline’s cancer journey began the day after Christmas in 2019 when she was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. She had a cough that she thought was due to a cold she caught from her son. But after the cough didn’t go away with antibiotics, her doctors performed a CT scan just to be safe and discovered she had lung cancer. She was put on immunotherapy and chemotherapy combinations, but they failed to stop the cancer from spreading across her body. In January 2023 biomarker testing showed Bistline had a gene that doctors have developed a targeted therapy against. Three months after taking the medication, scans showed the cancer in her bones and liver was gone, and the cancer in her lymph nodes had shrunk. Bistline is grateful for lung cancer research and the advancements in lung cancer treatments. She believes she wouldn’t be alive without research and that her future is dependent on new research.

“I know without a doubt that if biomarker testing had not been developed, if we did not know about the ALK gene, and if targeted therapy was not available, I would not have been able to celebrate my five-year cancerversary this past year,” said Bistline. “The targeted therapy I take is the newest one available, and the next generation of medication for me is in the research process. My hope is that the medication I am on will work until the next generation of medication is released.”

During Advocacy Day, Bistline will speak with Senator Chuck Grassley, Senator Joni Ernst and Representative Zach Nunn and their staff to share her 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 care. 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 Lisa Bistline, the Lung Association invites Iowa residents 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 Lisa Bistline 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.