Vital Cancer Research Depends on Donations

The American Cancer Society has funded vital cancer research since 1946. For over 70 years, it has invested more than $4.9 billion in cancer research to identify causes, discover effective treatments, and improve cancer survivors’ quality of life. ACS is the largest private, nonprofit funder of cancer research in the United States. It currently supports more than 750 active grants with over $400 million in investments. No single non-governmental, not-for-profit organization in the U.S. has invested more to find the causes and cures of cancer.
The American Cancer Society maintains a 60-person team of researchers which has conducted groundbreaking studies like those of the 1960s that provided indisputable evidence linking smoking with lung cancer. It also funds innovative research conducted by hundreds of scientists and health care professionals at institutions nationwide. Locally, doctors and researchers at UCLA, USC, City of Hope and Cal Tech all received grants in 2019. Dr. Linda Malkas of City of Hope says her grant “is helping us keep our young investigators in the cancer research pipeline which is critical for the future of the nation’s cancer research.”
Although the American Cancer Society is committed to funding as much research as possible, it faces a challenge. Since it is not an endowed organization, it has no underwriter or wealthy benefactor to provide funds. Rather, it is supported primarily by money raised each year from individual donations. Despite the severe financial hardship caused by Covid-19, the Society’s ability to fund cancer research remains critical.
Postdoctoral fellow Michael Todhunter relies on institutions like the American Cancer Society to make science possible. He says, “My grant from ACS has allowed me to explore entirely new avenues of breast cancer prevention research that may someday help save lives.” Individual donations support not only this vital research but essential patient services and programs nationwide.
The American Cancer Society urges you to contribute to its important work. You can support its goal of ending cancer by making a donation on behalf of the Santa Clarita Relay for Life at www.scvrelay.org or donate at cancer.org. For information about cancer research, visit cancer.org/research or call toll-free 1-800-227-2345.