Awareness • Early Detection • Treatment • Research • Survivorship

Dancing with the Stars

Los Angeles, CA. Kim Norris, President of the Lung Cancer Foundation of America joined Team Draft to attend a taping of Dancing with the Stars. Lung Cancer Fighter, Valerie Harper was dancing her heart out on this season only to exit gracefully stage left last week after being eliminated from the competition. Dancing with the Stars has been a host of more than one lung cancer fighter. Last season, Dancer’s Jonathan Roberts and Anna Trebunskaya performed a tribute dance for fellow dancer and good friend, Julia Ivleva. Julia passed away from lung cancer in April of 2012.

Valerie Harper danced beautifully throughout the season. She inspired not only the audience but her partner, Tristan MacManus as well. When asked about Valerie, Tristan replied, ”I think maybe life’s a little bit better since I met Valerie Harper.” Fellow contestants mentioned how much she inspired the rest of the dancers on the show.

When she received the news that she was leaving the show, according to USA Today, Harper said, “It has been absolutely wonderful. Completely unique. Like nothing else in the world that you would ever do. And it was an opportunity for me to carry a message to folks, not just with cancer, but with whatever challenge, like our song tonight – carry on, carry on.”