Chicago, IL (ContentDesk) July 20, 2006 -- The LUNGevity Foundation, the only organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to funding lung cancer research, has named veteran nonprofit professional Robert Marovich its first full-time executive director. Every year, lung cancer takes the lives of more people than breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer combined Marovich has more than twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He recently served as Vice President with the Chicago-based consulting firm Ter Molen Watkins & Brandt, where he helped healthcare organizations, educational institutions, public broadcasters, and social service agencies successfully expand their fundraising programs."Bob was a clear choice because of his many years of fundraising experience and in-depth understanding of how emerging nonprofit organizations work," said Cynthia Collins, President of the LUNGevity Foundation and President and CEO of Sequoia Pharmaceuticals. "We are thrilled that he has joined us to help LUNGevity build on the fantastic growth we have experienced, and to leverage that growth to become a nationally-recognized leader in finding the cure to lung cancer."The LUNGevity Foundation was founded in 2000 by seven Chicago-area lung cancer survivors who, upon being diagnosed, were shocked to learn that lung cancer, the nations leading cancer killer, received a disproportionately low amount of research funding. They started LUNGevity to support the innovative work of clinical researchers seeking new treatments, and ultimately, a cure.In six years, LUNGevity has grown into a recognizable force in funding lung cancer research, partnering on awards with national organizations such as the American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Thoracic Society.

LUNGevity is also the designated charity for a growing number of special events held nationwide and has attracted the interest of individuals participating in endurance competitions, such as marathons, to raise money for lung cancer research.Marovichs appointment and LUNGevitys establishment of its own office in Chicagos Lincoln Park neighborhood are part of the organizations plan to become an even more potent force in the search for a cure to a disease that will, according to the American Cancer Society, claim the lives of nearly 170,000 Americans this year alone."Every year, lung cancer takes the lives of more people than breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer combined," remarked Marovich. "I look forward to helping our dedicated board and nationwide network of volunteers raise more money for lung cancer research so we can save the lives of millions of men and women who are affected by, or at risk of developing, this deadly disease."Marovich received a bachelors degree in American Studies from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He is President of the Board of Directors of Tree House Animal Foundation, a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and has held the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) qualification since 1997.The LUNGevity Foundation can be accessed via the Web at www.lungevity.org .About the LUNGevity Foundation:The LUNGevity Foundation is the only organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to funding lung cancer research. Its goal is to save the lives of the 170,000 Americans newly diagnosed with lung cancer each year, eighty-five percent of whom will die within five years without the development of new diagnostic and treatment methods. Partnering with the foremost physicians and research scientists in the world, the foundation supports innovative lung cancer research.

For more information, contact (773) 281-LUNG (5864) or www.lungevity.org ..