At one time, music clubs were hotbeds for smokers. Whether or not you were a smoker you had to put up with it if you wanted to hear the music.

Times have changed (you can’t smoke in bars or night clubs anymore), but unfortunately lung cancer, a direct result for many smokers, remains a problem for many, whether or not they are smokers (fact; you don’t necessarily have to smoke to get lung cancer). 

The iconic Chester music club, Bernie’s Hillside Lounge, will help bring awareness to the prevention of lung cancer survival when it hosts a special charity event on Saturday night July 15 featuring Above Ground Blues Band. Show time is 8:30. Folks can pay $10 at the door with a portion of the proceeds going to the organization, Free to Breathe. The concert is being presented by Free to Breathe’s Northwest New Jersey committee. 

The show is intended to bring more attention to a disease that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves.  The survival rate for lung cancer patients currently is very low at a mere 17 percent. Free to Breathe, a national nonprofit lung cancer research and advocacy organization, hopes to double the survival rate by 2020 with the help of Above Ground Blues Band and Bernie’s. 

Above Ground Blues Band has become one of the region’s most exciting bands led by lead singer Carol Fredricks and her fiery style on stage. She is joined by seasoned musicians Tom Sternadori on bass, Bobby Reed on guitar, James Smith on keyboards, and sax player Nick Conti, also the band leader. 

You can find out more about the band on Facebook. 

Bernie’s is located just off of Route 206 at 125 Hillside Road, Chester. For directions and other information about Bernie’s call 908-879-7120 or visit www.bernieshillside.com.

Free to Breathe is a partnership of lung cancer survivors, advocates, researchers, healthcare professionals and industry leaders who are united in the belief that every person with lung cancer deserves a cure. The organization focuses on accelerating research, helping patients understand treatment options and ensuring patients benefit from innovative therapies that save lives. To learn more visit www.freetobreathe.org.