Karen Parles

PARLES Karen (DeLong) Karen DeLong Parles, formerly of West Hartford and a groundbreaking advocate for people living with lung cancer, died at her home in Setauket, NY on February 16, 2009 due to complications from lung cancer. She was 49. Shortly after her diagnosis in 1998, Ms. Parles, one of a growing proportion of never smokers to contract the illness, became aware of the lack of resources available for lung cancer patients because of the stigma attached to its perception as a smoking related disease. She used her skills as a librarian to create lungcanceronline.org in 1999, an online resource for lung cancer patients and their families that both provided, and linked to, information about the condition. The website was the number one ranked lung cancer site on Google for a number of years and at its peak had approximately 750,000 unique visitors annually. As editor and webmaster of the site, Karen provided advice to thousands of patients and families across the globe. During 2002, Ms. Parles established the Lung Cancer Online Foundation, serving as Executive Director until 2008, when the foundation was dissolved due to Karen's failing heath. The foundation raised money to fund lung cancer research, making grants of approximately $750,000 during its tenure, as well as sponsoring the website. Karen also co-authored 100 Questions and Answers About Lung Cancer, a guide for patients and families. Karen was recognized for her efforts by Williams College, her alma mater, with a Bicentennial Medal in 2001, and by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship in 2004 with the Catherine Logan Award for Service to Survivorship. Born in Reading, Pennsylvania and raised in West Hartford, she graduated from Conard High School in 1977. Karen graduated from Williams College in 1981, majoring in Art History. She then worked in book publishing for five years before beginning work as an art librarian, first at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then at The Frick Collection, both in New York. Ms. Parles completed her Masters in Library and Information Sciences at Long Island University in 1995. Karen is survived by her children, Christopher and Casey, and her husband, James, of Setauket, New York; her brother, David DeLong, and her parents, Howard and Shirley DeLong, of West Hartford. She also leaves Oliver, Charlie, Barnaby, Luci and Sheba, her five dogs. A celebration of Karen's life will be held at the Nesaquake Junior High School, 479 Edgewood Avenue, St. James, NY on Saturday, February 28 at 3 p.m. The family will greet visitors beginning at 1:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to charities associated with the following websites: Savetheelephants.org, Worldwildlife.org., or Lungcanceralliance.org. For on-line condolences and remembrances, please visit http:// www.caringbridge.org