Kia Ora 

If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with lung cancer, we are here to support you. Click to view our patient and carer resource - 

• For Māori - Lung Foundation New Zealand - Lung Cancer Patient Advocacy Group
• For Non-Māori - Lung Foundation New Zealand - Lung Cancer Patient Advocacy Group

About Us

Lung Foundation New Zealand (LFNZ) is a non-government organisation (patient advocacy group) dedicated to increasing survival for lung cancer.

The Lung Foundation provides information and support for lung cancer patients and carers and is devoted to advocating on a range of issues, including; prevention, early detection (screening), stigma, public access to more effective treatments, an increase in research funding and a commitment to Smokefree 2025.

Our Vision

• New Zealanders know how to keep their lungs healthy and they investigate symptoms of lung disease earlier.

Our Mission

• To increase survival for lung cancer

Our Goals

• Promote Lung Health
• Promote Early Diagnosis of Lung Disease - Reduce Lung Cancer Deaths

Our Values

• Rangatiratanga; we have integrity, we empower people, we say what we mean.
• Manaakitaka, we nurture and respect people’s mana.
• Whanaungatanga, collaborating to improve healthcare in Aotearoa, also serves future generations.

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takimano

My strength is not that of an individual but that of the collective

What we want you to know about the burden of lung cancer in Aotearoa

Lung cancer kills more people in New Zealand every year, than breast cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma cancer combined.

Every day 5 people die of lung cancer and a further 6 people are diagnosed with lung cancer. There is a major intersection with other determinants of health, including a quadrupled risk of suicide for lung cancer patients compared to the general population.

Lung cancer causes extreme inequity for Māori

Lung cancer registrations and mortality rates are FOUR times higher in Māori women and nearly THREE times higher in Māori men.

One Māori dies of lung cancer every day in New Zealand.

Lung cancer is the leading and second highest cause of death in Māori females and males respectively.

Lung cancer screening

Despite, lung cancer being New Zealand’s biggest cancer killer, we do not yet have a national lung cancer screening programme in place.