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Ascension Parish Council swears in Jennifer DeFrancis; proclaims November Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Summary
Jennifer DeFrancis was sworn in as District 11 councilmember; the council read a proclamation recognizing November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month and heard survivor Chris Hebert describe his diagnosis, survivorship and screening gaps.
At the start of the Nov. 20 meeting the Ascension Parish Council formally swore in Jennifer DeFrancis as the District 11 councilmember. A local judge administered the oath of office and DeFrancis signed the required paperwork to assume the seat.
The council then read and approved a proclamation designating November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month in Ascension Parish and recognized the White Ribbon Project. Ascension resident Chris Hebert, introduced by the proclamation reader, told the council he was diagnosed with stage‑4 lung cancer on his 40th birthday in 2021, credited new treatments with four years of survivorship, and urged broader awareness of non‑smoking causes of lung cancer such as asbestos and radon. He cited screening gaps and urged residents to discuss symptoms and family history with their clinicians.
Hebert asked the council to display White Ribbon Project ribbons in chambers and provided brief background about the grassroots project, which started when a survivor created a flag and then scaled to wider distribution. Council members thanked Hebert and the White Ribbon Project representatives for their advocacy.
The swearing-in and proclamation were brief agenda items that the chair presented as part of the meeting’s opening sequence.
