Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is one of the most widely known organizations that is also considered a nationwide community-based voluntary health organization (Zoller, 1991). The ACS was founded in 1913 as the American Society for the Control of Cancer (ASCC) by 15 prominent physicians and business leaders in New York City   (American Cancer Society. (2010). . At that time, a cancer diagnosis amounted to near certain death, rarely mentioned in public and was kept hidden from families and society in general. Doctors rarely told their patients that they had cancer for fear that malpractice would soon follow. Education was the key and the number of doctors, nurses, patients, and family members to be reached was overwhelming. The Society's founders found that if they could educate the public through journal writings and publications, then the overall taboo of cancer would be lessened, accepted more   (American Cancer Society. (2010).. Their dedication and goal was to eliminate cancer as a major health problem through techniques such as ongoing research, education, advocacy and service that prevent the illness, save lives, and reduce an individual's suffering. This was just the start of
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doctors interacting with the education, and prevention of cancer.

In the 1960s and 70s, the American Cancer Society began to expand its reach as an organization, working even more than in the past to involve all sectors in its efforts to fight back against the disease. Involve and educate more health care professionals about the various forms and treatments of cancer(Breen, 2001). In the 60s, the Society was instrumental in the development of the Surgeon General’s report on the link between smoking and cancer when early Society-sponsored studies confirmed the connection (American Cancer Society. (2010). This upheaval in the perception of smoking laid the groundwork for tobacco control progress, and for the corresponding lives saved, that continues today(Zoller,...