Andy Shapiro was one of more than 163,000 Americans who lost their lives to lung cancer in 2005. Today, more people die in the U.S. and Canada of lung cancer than any other form of cancer. In fact, the disease causes more deaths than colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer and melanoma combined. Sadder still, lung cancer is claiming a growing number of lives, particularly among women and non-smokers like Andy. While early detection can save lives, the signs and symptoms of lung cancer can go unnoticed for years, are often confused with symptoms of less serious conditions, and may not be recognized until the cancer has already reached an advanced stage.

During his two-year battle with the disease, when Andy attended industry conferences, he urged newspapers to join the fight against cancer through special sections, specialty publications and special event sponsorships. Though Andy Shapiro lost the battle, the sentiments he expressed at those meetings did not fall on deaf ears. To help win the war against cancer and to honor her father’s life of service to the newspaper industry, Debra Shapiro Weiss, Metro’s Executive Vice President & Marketing Director, established the Andrew E. Shapiro Cancer Foundation. The announcement was made in the following letter to the newspaper industry, which was originally published on October 24, 2005, the day of her father’s death.

Dear Newspaper Industry,

We regret to inform you that Metro’s beloved Chairman, and my dad, Andrew Shapiro, passed away today after his two-year battle with cancer. While it was a very difficult journey he could not have weathered it without your incredible outpouring of kindness, love and support. Andy had intended on bidding farewell in his own words but the pace of the disease beat him to it.

As you all know, two of Andy’s most special gifts were his way with words and his kindness. He had the ability to not only express his thoughts, but to communicate them in such a way that moved all they touched. One of the reasons he was so eloquent was because his words always came straight from the heart. When he cared about something, he cared deeply. When he committed to something, he committed completely. He cared deeply about all of you and the newspaper industry and thus committed his adult life to both.

Everywhere he traveled he would meet people who had come together to better their publications through the exchange of knowledge and ideas. He would pack up his cameras and Metro materials and attend conventions and tradeshows throughout North America as well as internationally. Wherever there were newspapers gathering Andy would be there, not simply as a vendor, but as a valuable participant, friend and resource.

Whether he was giving a seminar, dressed up in a referee shirt and hat and running down an aisle blowing a whistle to get the crowd revved up, or having a one-on-one conversation with an industry peer, he did it with friendliness and sincerity and a conviction to make a difference. Filled with ideas and enthusiasm he would participate in every way he could so as to make the most of every trip, along the way making friends that would last a lifetime. He would then bring back all of the knowledge and information that he had gathered and immediately share it with staff and apply it to the planning and development of Metro’s services.

During his last turn at the podium in August, Andy accepted a lifetime achievement award from the Newspaper Special Sections Network for his contributions to newspaper special sections and specialty publications. Andy spoke not about his battle with cancer but about ways that newspapers can utilize their position and influence within each of their communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer. He made the plea that everyone go back to their publications and initiate cancer-related efforts such as special sections, specialty publications and special event sponsorships.

Taking Andy’s cue we are in the process of establishing a foundation in Andy’s name that will bring together the efforts of publications everywhere who want to help make a difference. As an industry we have the resources and influence that makes this possible. Once established, the purpose of the foundation will be to raise funds for cancer research that will be donated to the American Cancer Society and Canadian Cancer Society. We hope you will become a part of our industry effort.

In his absence I can only try to say what he would have wanted to, although not with his eloquence. You all meant the world to him and helped to make him the man he was and the man we will all remember.

With loving thoughts,
Debra Shapiro Weiss