For nearly a century, the American Cancer Society has fought for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We have taken what we’ve learned through research and turned it into the potential for more birthday celebrations. This year alone, 11 million cancer survivors in America will celebrate a birthday this year.
We fight for birthdays in many, many ways. We’re a trusted resource for the more than 23 million visitors each year to www.cancer.org where we offer the latest information and news on cancer and help people locate resources in their community. And, our phone lines are open every minute of every day to help connect people with the answers they need. Each year, we provide free information and support to the nearly one million people who call us at 1-800-ACS-2345.
We’re the largest non-governmental funder of cancer research in the United States, having spent more than $3.4 billion on cancer research since 1946. We fund beginning researchers with cutting-edge ideas early in their careers—42 of whom have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, the highest accolade in scientific achievement. One of every 100 Americans participates in one of the 5,000 American Cancer Society Relay For Life events across the globe, comprising the world’s largest movement to end cancer.
Our advocacy efforts have helped pass state laws ensuring that people have access to and coverage for lifesaving cancer screenings and treatments. And, we’ve had a hand in nearly every major cancer breakthrough of the last century, including confirming the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, establishing the link between obesity and multiple cancers, developing drugs to treat leukemia and advanced breast cancer, and showing that mammography is the most effective way to detect breast cancer.
These are life-saving actions that the American Cancer Society passionately supports and facilitates. And, we will continue to fight against the more than 100 different cancers in existence until one day, our children and grandchildren ask…what was that disease they called cancer?