The short answer
GO2 for Lung Cancer is a lung cancer advocacy organization founded by patients and survivors. Its free HelpLine offers one-on-one guidance on screening, clinical trials and resource navigation, and it describes a network of Centers of Excellence for screening and care. It does not treat patients or replace your own oncology team.
GO2 for Lung Cancer was founded by patients and survivors and focuses on early detection, treatment, support and research.
GO2 says its free HelpLine offers one-on-one guidance Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, and that its services have reached 43 U.S. states and 148 countries.
GO2 says its network includes more than 600 Centers of Excellence for lung cancer screening and care.
Peer support programs include Phone Buddy matching and Gathering HOPE online groups.
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The whole article, with every detail and caution.
This page is for people facing lung cancer, or worried about their risk, and the people who help them. It explains what GO2 for Lung Cancer offers, how to reach it, and what it cannot do.
Started by the people it serves
GO2 for Lung Cancer describes itself as founded by patients and survivors. Its self-description as the nation's leading lung cancer advocacy organization reflects that origin. Its stated mission is to "relentlessly confront lung cancer on every front, every day, for everyone." It focuses on earlier diagnosis, wider access to precision medicine, and better quality of life for people affected by the disease.
Peer connection
Groups founded by patients and survivors often build peer programs like Phone Buddy because people want to talk with someone who has been through it. If you want that kind of connection, GO2 offers it.
The HelpLine, in detail
The most immediately usable resource is the HelpLine. It offers free, one-on-one guidance. It is staffed Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. GO2 says its support services have been used across 43 states and 148 countries.
GO2 says the HelpLine helps with screening questions, clinical trial information, and finding resources. You can reach it two ways:
- By phone at 1-800-298-2436
- By email at support@go2.org
Screening is a core focus
GO2 puts particular weight on early detection. It offers education about low-dose CT screening, a type of lung scan that uses a small amount of radiation. GO2 also describes a network of more than 600 Centers of Excellence for screening and cancer care.
The CDC says the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends yearly low-dose CT screening for adults aged 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and who smoke now or quit within the past 15 years. CDC also says only about 18 percent of eligible adults have been screened. If you are not sure whether you qualify, ask your doctor.
Support beyond information
Several named programs address the emotional and social side of a lung cancer diagnosis:
- Phone Buddy, a peer-to-peer program that matches people with similar experiences
- Gathering HOPE, online social groups
- Mind Over Matter, a coping skills program
- Lung Cancer Living Room, a recurring series of educational events
What GO2 can do for you today
- Wondering about screening for yourself or someone you know? The HelpLine is built for that first question.
- Just diagnosed and want to talk to someone who has been through it? Phone Buddy is designed for that kind of connection.
- Looking for community rather than a one-time answer? Gathering HOPE and the Lung Cancer Living Room events offer ongoing contact.
- Struggling with the emotional weight of diagnosis? Mind Over Matter is aimed at that directly.
What GO2 cannot do
It does not provide medical treatment. It is an advocacy, education and support group, not a hospital or clinic.
It cannot decide for you whether you should be screened. Whether screening fits you depends on your personal risk factors and a talk with your own doctor.
It does not guarantee a specific outcome from a Center of Excellence referral. The label reflects the organization's own network. It is still worth asking any screening site about its experience and volume with lung cancer screening.
It is not a substitute for your oncology team's judgment about trials or treatment, even when the HelpLine can point you toward options.
Getting started
One first step is a call or email to the HelpLine if you are unsure where to begin. Your doctor remains the best person to ask about screening eligibility.
Program hours, phone numbers and network details can change. Check the current information on go2.org rather than older listings elsewhere.
Common questions
Is the GO2 HelpLine free?
Yes, it is described as free, one-on-one guidance available by phone or email.
Can the HelpLine tell me if I qualify for lung cancer screening?
It can walk through screening-related questions and help you find a screening center, but the final decision about whether screening is right for you is made with your own doctor based on your risk factors.
What is a Center of Excellence?
It refers to a center in GO2's network, which GO2 says includes more than 600 screening and cancer care sites, though the specific quality standards behind that designation are worth asking about directly.
What is Phone Buddy?
It is a peer-to-peer matching program connecting people affected by lung cancer with someone who has a similar experience.
Does GO2 offer help outside the United States?
GO2 says its support services have been used in 148 countries. Its center network is described as nationwide in the U.S.
Does GO2 provide medical treatment?
No. It functions as an advocacy, education and support organization rather than a treatment provider.
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Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Editorial review complete — This page completed Cancer Explained's editorial checks (sources, safety, plain language, duplication). It has not been reviewed by a physician or other healthcare professional.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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