American Cancer Society Marks 100th Year with One Goal - To Finish the Fight against Cancer
A Century Later: Progress and Next Steps
May 22, 2013 /3BL Media/ - One hundred years ago today, the American Cancer Society was founded by 15 prominent physicians and business leaders in New York City. First known as the American Society for the Control of Cancer, the organization launched the fight against a disease that was feared as a death sentence at the time. A century later, the American Cancer Society, now the nation's largest voluntary health organization, observes 100 years of progress – this year alone saw a 20 percent decline in cancer death rates since the 1990s according to the Society's latest Cancer Facts & Figures, that translates to more than one million cancer deaths avoided during that span – more birthdays celebrated. The Society is marking the occasion by pledging to finish the fight against cancer in the next century.
"In 1970, it was projected that cancer incidence and mortality would continue to rise beyond the year 2000," said Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., M.D., national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. "Today, not only have mortality rates declined since the early 1990s, but we're averting more than 400 cancer deaths every day. Due in part to the work of the American Cancer Society, what seemed nearly impossible is now reality."
"We began our fight against cancer at a time when the word 'cancer' was rarely mentioned in public," said John R. Seffrin, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. "In our 100 years of existence, we have contributed to many groundbreaking discoveries that have brought us closer to understanding, preventing and treating the disease, and this century, we are looking to put ourselves out of business by making it cancer's last century."
Since it began the fight against cancer in 1913, the American Cancer Society has funded researchers that have contributed to nearly every major cancer research breakthrough; helped establish the link between cancer and smoking; and contributed to a 50 percent decline in smoking rates. The Society has, and continues to help cancer patients everywhere get the help they need through services like the 1-800-227-2345 help line, free lodging for patients and their families traveling for treatment, and free rides to and from treatment.
"It's exciting to see the progress we have made against cancer, but we can't relax our efforts in the fight against this disease," said Gary M. Reedy, volunteer chair of the American Cancer Society Board of Directors. "Now more than ever, we need everyone's help to make this cancer's last century. There cannot be too many hands on deck."
The American Cancer Society is using its 100th birthday on May 22nd to encourage people to join together, make noise and take action to finish the fight against cancer.The Society urges everyone to make some noise in a variety of ways.
