LEWISTON — The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing at Central Maine Medical Center will offer a free workshop for lung cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and loved ones titled “Standing Up to the Stigma of Lung Cancer.”

The session will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 12 High Street, Conference Room I, on the CMMC campus.

Presenter Debbie Violette was given a 10 percent chance of living two years at the time of her diagnosis. She is now an 11-year survivor of stage III lung cancer with hopes of eradicating the stigma that it is strictly a smoker’s disease. Once concerned about losing her job and how others would perceive her, Violette has since made it a personal priority to change the way the disease is viewed publicly.

“I knew that if I survived,” she said, “I would need to speak out and give a voice to lung cancer.”

Shortly after her treatment, Violette joined the Lung Cancer Alliance and eventually became the Maine State Chair. She aims to change health care policy, raise awareness and provide support to others. She is actively involved in the National Lung Cancer Partnership, Dana Farber Lung Cancer SPORE and the Livestrong Foundation.

She also serves on the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Oncology Board as a patient advocate.

To preregister, call the Dempsey Center at 795-8250 or 1-877-336-7287. For more information, visit www.dempseycenter.org.