Event supports lung cancer research to improve outcomes for people living with lung cancer while honoring the life and legacy of Donna Summer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) will host its inaugural ‘Here Comes Summer’ Nashville benefit on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at Richland Country Club. The evening will honor the life and legacy of legendary entertainer Donna Summer who passed away from lung cancer. The event will raise critical funds for lung cancer research.
This inaugural Nashville event addresses an urgent need for lung cancer research funding. Despite being the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, lung cancer research remains the least funded among major cancers — receiving less funding than breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer combined. While lung cancer incidence among men has decreased, it has increased among women and young people with no known risk factors.
The evening will also highlight how the city of Nashville is already working to improve the lives of people living with lung cancer. Among the guests will be David Spigel, MD, President and Chief Medical Officer at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, who will speak about lung cancer, LCRF, and how this event and its attendees will help accelerate lung cancer research.
As one of the most influential artists of all time, Donna Summer transformed popular culture with her groundbreaking fusion of R&B, soul, pop, funk, rock, disco, and electronic music. A five-time Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and seller of more than 130 million albums. Summer’s timeless hits include “Last Dance,” “I Feel Love,” “Mac Arthur’s Park,” “Hot Stuff,” “Bad Girls,” and “She Works Hard For Her Money.” Her Tony-nominated Broadway musical and 2023 documentary continue to introduce her legacy to new generations - most notably when figure skater Alysa Liu skated to Donna’s “MacArthur Park Suite” during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“Donna Summer’s music brought joy to millions. She was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly before succumbing to the disease in 2012,” said Susan Munao, her former Manager and Event Chair. “This event honors her life and legacy while shining a light on the urgent need for early detection and more research funding.”
Organizers plan for ‘Here Comes Summer’ to become an annual Nashville benefit supporting lung cancer research and increasing awareness around the urgent need for early detection, treatment innovation, and expanded research funding.
The event’s host committee includes Chair Susan Munao, LCRF Board Member Scott Morris, and committee members Beth Belshaw; Shira Boehler; Melanie and Bob Cansler; Dr. Michael and Cindee Gold; Stephen Huff; Dr. Leora Horn; Dr. Wade and Brittany Iams; Tracey Jordan, Esq.; Ben Jumper; Dr. Fabien Maldonado; The Mastroberti Family; Keri McInnis; Todd Meucci; Stormie and Michael Omartian; Dr. David Spigel; Mike Smardak; and Holly Hearn Whaley.
Sponsors at the time of distribution include The Sudano Family, Tennessee Oncology, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Outback Presents, Soundcheck Nashville, Hearn Charitable Foundation, Alice and Stanley Harris, Susan Munao, Scott Morris, Maryanne and Bob LaRosa, Gary Musick Productions, Kobrand Corporation, Universal Music Enterprises,Rubicon Founders, Creative Audio, Stephen Brush, The Kerigan Family, AstraZeneca, Ascension Saint Thomas, and Michael and Stormie Omartian.
The sold-out event, held at the Richland Country Club, begins with 6 o’clock cocktails, followed by a 7 o’clock dinner and program.
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About the Lung Cancer Research Foundation:
The Lung Cancer Research Foundation® (LCRF) is the leading nonprofit organization focused on funding innovative, high-reward research with the potential to extend survival and improve quality of life for people with lung cancer. LCRF's mission is to improve lung cancer outcomes by funding research for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of lung cancer. To date, LCRF has funded 450 research grants, totaling nearly $53 million, the highest amount provided by a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding lung cancer research. For more information, visit LCRF.org.
About Donna Summer:
Donna Summer was one of the most influential and groundbreaking artists of the modern music era, with a career that transcended genre and helped shape the sound of popular music for generations. A five-time Grammy Award winner, six-time American Music Award winner, Academy Award honoree for “Last Dance,” Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, and 2013 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and Summer achieved more than 130 million albums sold worldwide and remains an enduring cultural icon.
Her historic achievements include becoming the only solo artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts, the first female artist to have four No. 1 singles in a 12-month period on the Billboard Hot 100, the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, and the first-ever recipient of the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. Her timeless catalog includes “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” “Last Dance,” “MacArthur Park,” “Hot Stuff,” “Bad Girls,” “Dim All the Lights,” “On the Radio,” and “She Works Hard for the Money.”
Her Tony-nominated Broadway musical, ‘SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical,’ continues to celebrate her life and music, and the documentary ‘Love to Love You, Donna Summer’ premiered in 2023.
