American Cancer Society Commits $2 Million to Global Cancer Fight
Society Investment to Support Union for International Cancer Control’s Initiatives
(3BL Media) Montreal - August 29, 2012 - The American Cancer Society (ACS), the world’s largest voluntary health organization, announced today that it has committed $2 million towards fighting cancer and impacting cancer control internationally. This $2 million investment, with the oversight of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), will be directed towards three priority areas – improving access to pain relief worldwide through the Global Access to Pain Relief Initiative (a joint program of UICC and ACS); supporting the work of the NCD Alliance (a network of over 2,000 civil society organizations in more than 170 countries) to make non-communicable diseases a priority on the global health and development agenda; and supporting the development of cancer leaders to build cancer control capacity worldwide. The announcement was made during the UICC’s biennial World Cancer Congress in Montreal, Canada (Aug. 27-30, 2012).
“The American Cancer Society has supported the fight against cancer since our founding nearly 100 years ago, and this investment represents a critical step forward in eliminating global suffering from this disease,” said John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society and former volunteer UICC president (2002-2006). “This crucial commitment of new and significant financial, executive and staff resources will help address an urgent need as the Society and UICC work together to help save even more lives from cancer worldwide.”
Cancer causes 1 in 8 deaths worldwide and is rapidly becoming a global pandemic - without intervention, the number of new cancer cases is expected to double over the next 20 years. The Society recognizes tobacco as the single most preventable cause of death in the world, and is working to reduce the incidence of tobacco-related cancers in low- and middle-income countries with a special emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. The Society also supports interventions to address women’s cancer, cervical cancer and breast cancer, which have a devastating effect throughout the world.
"The American Cancer Society has been a close partner to UICC and its members for many years, and John Seffrin's personal commitment and leadership in the global challenge posed by cancer has been inspirational to many,” said Cary Adams, chief executive officer of UICC. “The three-year commitment by ACS to partner with UICC in our global programmes brings significant additional resources to the global cancer fight, and it will hopefully encourage others to join us.”
