The American Cancer Society, sometimes referred to as one of its subdivisions, the American Breast Cancer Society, operates over 3,000 offices in the United States, and coordinates over two million volunteers nationwide. The American Cancer Society logo has a presence in nearly all communities in the US, where the American Cancer Society logo can often be seen displayed prominently.
Fifteen prominent medical professionals and business leaders in New York City founded the society in 1913. In those days, cancer was scarcely discussed and little was known of it. Over 75,000 lost their lives to the disease each year. It was a silent killer. In 1936, a field representative called Marjorie G. Illig proposed the creation of The Women's Field Army, an unprecedented fleet of volunteers trained to disseminate information about cancer and help raise money for research and patient services. Dressed in crisp, matching khaki uniforms, the Women's Field Army was an unmitigated success, educating the public about one of the world's most serious health issues and raising funds for research.
The famous American Cancer Society logo originated from a popular nationwide poster contest in 1928. The contest was sponsored by the society, which was then known as the American Society for the Control of Cancer. George E. Durant of Brooklyn won $500 for his design of the famous sword. Mr. Durant explained that the sword represented the fight against cancer, and the sword's two-serpent caduceus handle represents the society's medical and scientific foundation. The American Cancer Society continues to use the famous logo today.
The American Breast Cancer Society seeks to make breast cancer a thing of the past. One of their main focuses is research. The American Breast Cancer Society aims to discover the causes of cancer, and to discover a cure for the disease. The American Cancer Society is the largest source of both nonprofit and private cancer research funds, with much of these funds generated specifically for the American Breast Cancer Society.
The American Cancer society's research and public campaign began in 1946 with $1 million. Since then, the cancer society has funded over $2.7 billion worth in cancer research. The cancer society has generated a bulk of the most important cancer research, and has produced 39 Nobel Prize winners in the process.
The cancer society also seeks to fight cancer through education. Information on health is disseminated by the society in an effort to save lives through cancer prevention. The cancer society breast health information is one of its strongest initiatives, urging women to conduct monthly self-check breast exams.
The American Breast Cancer Society also helps fight cancer by providing recently diagnosed patients with patient services. The cancer society breast cancer initiatives also involves a lot of advocacy issues. The cancer society seeks to increase government funding for cancer research, making it easier for newly diagnosed patients to navigate the often-complex health care system, and to provide a better quality of life for patients and their families.