However, raising awareness for cancer wasn’t easy at all. In the early twentieth century, cancer was considered taboo. No one wanted it and cancer as a discussion topic was avoided as much as possible. In fact, sometimes doctors failed to tell patients that they had cancer. Even when they were told, patients would refrain from telling family and friends of their diagnosis (----). This taboo was the main obstacle in raising awareness for cancer. If the founders could actually get people to discuss and talk about it, it wouldn’t be too hard to get more people aware. Fortunately, this group of physicians and business leaders was very competent and knew what to do. Even though they needed to reach an overwhelming amount of physicians, patients, and families, they worked diligently and set up a campaign. The recruited physicians to educate the public, and wrote several articles in different magazines. They even published Campaign Notes, which is a monthly bulletin containing all sorts of cancer information. One major thing that they did was their poster contest in 1928 that they held across the nation. The winner was George E. Durant, and he won five hundred dollars. …show more content…
It’s mission statement states that it is a “nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.” (----) The society gets most of its funding through fundraisers and donations. They use this money to help those with cancer in several different ways. They try to help people stay well by promoting healthy lifestyles. The provide information, encourage and help smokers to quit, and offer cancer screenings and cancer detection guidelines. They also work to help those with cancer get better. They offer support and have several programs to help you with basic needs (rides to hospital, lodgings, wigs for hair loss, etc.) The American Cancer Society puts a lot of effort into research, as well. In fact, it is “the largest nongovernmental funder of cancer research in the United States, having spent more than $4 billion since 1946 to find cures.” (----) One more thing that they do is fight for laws that would help the cancer fight to be