American Cancer Society - Celebrating 99 Years of Saving Lives

By John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer

At the American Cancer Society, we know that every birthday is a reason to celebrate. That’s why today – our 99^th birthday as an organization – we’re especially pleased to celebrate the lifesaving progress we’ve made together.

We have definitely come a long way since the American Cancer Society was founded in 1913. Then, cancer was an almost certain death sentence. The disease was shrouded in mystery and carried a powerful stigma that meant people diagnosed often kept their true condition a secret. Treatment focused mainly on pain management and quality of life – and could include anything from morphine and champagne to carriage rides in the park.

How very far we have come.

Today, the majority of people survive cancer – and many thrive. The number of cancer survivors in the United States is rising steadily – and by 2008 neared an incredible 12 million people. A disease that once was spoken of only in whispers is today loudly proclaimed on everything from T-shirts to television programs. And most importantly, there is a powerful spirit of hope that underlies the cancer fight – hope not just for dropping cancer death rates but for the true elimination of this disease as a major health threat.

In just a few days, I celebrate a “birthday” of my own – my 40^th year working with the American Cancer Society, 20 of those as chief executive. I have never been prouder to be at the helm of this great organization – nor have I been as optimistic about the future of the cancer fight. I believe the hopeful side of cancer has truly never been more hopeful.

Today, we have opportunities we once could only dream of. While the American Cancer Society has been an important part of more than 15 years of decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. and more than 1 million cancer deaths avoided since rates began to fall in the early 1990s, I believe we can and must do more to further this fight in the coming years.

Today, we know that about half of cancer deaths are preventable. Thanks in part to the $3.8 billion the American Cancer Society has invested in cancer research over the years, we know more today about major cancer risk factors and their impact. We know about one-third of cancer deaths in the U.S. each year can be attributed to poor diet and physical inactivity, while one-third are caused by tobacco use.

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