The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 by 15 physicians and business leaders in New York City with $10,000 when cancer was essentially a death sentence. It has since grown into one of the largest non-profit health organizations in the world, funding billions of dollars in cancer research and treatment. Through initiatives like Relay For Life, the ACS now raises over $4 billion annually in the fight against cancer.

2. Founded in 1913 with only $10,000
by 15 prominent physicians
and business leaders in
New York City.

3. At that time, a cancer diagnosis
amounted to near certain death.

4. If a patient was diagnosed with
cancer, it was often kept a
secret from everyone.

5. In 1914 the Society began to print
pamphlets on cancer and mailed
to about 14,000 people.

6. As a result, people were
showing up for earlier
diagnostic assessments.

7. In 1917 it circulated more than
6 million bulletins on cancer.

8. By 1922 the Society had grown so
large, that its budget was
increased to $60,000.

9. John D. Rockefeller contributed the
sum of $125,000 in 1926 helping
the Society toward its goal of a
million dollars. The goal was
reached one year later.

10. In 1937 the National Cancer
Institute Act was signed by
President Roosevelt. On it’s 6
member National Advisory
Counsel there sat 4 of the
Societies directors.

11. The first fundraising campaign
conducted by ACS in 1945
garnered more than four
million dollars.

12. During the late 1940’s the ACS
funded a case controlled study
of lung cancer patients and
found that 94% of the patients
diagnosed were smokers.

13. In 1965 ACS won a battle to
convince US Congress to pass the
first law regulating the labeling of
cigarettes including the warning
“Caution, cigarette smoking may
be hazardous to your health.”

14. In the 70’s and 80’s the ACS
initiated numerous programs
which were meant to reduce or
avoid known carcinogens.

15. In 1997 ACS received 488 million
from the American public for its
cancer control.

16. All told, the American Cancer Society
has invested approximately $3.6
billion in research, including giving
46 future Nobel Prize winners the
recognition and funding they needed
to get started.

17. Nearly 14 million cancer survivors
will celebrate another birthday in
2013. That’s more than 400
people every day celebrating a
birthday.

19. In May 1985 Dr. Gordy Klatt began
the ACS Relay For Life in
Tacoma, Washington. He raised
an amazing $27,000 in the fight
against cancer.

20. Now, more than 2.5 million people
– over half of them survivors –
participate in Relays each year
at more than 5,200 sites across
the U.S. and in twenty-one
other countries.

21. In 2011, Relay For Life surpassed
the $4 billion mark in funds raised
for the fight against cancer.

22. Since 2001, Relay for Life of
Molalla has raised $529,543.

23. Layout by Denise LaMarsh,
Owner of elabret designs
www.elabret.com