Cancer Issues
One-third of Americans Have Been Cancer Caregivers
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May 30, 2008 - 3:29:29 PM

American Cancer Society Celebrates Survivorship on National Cancer Survivors Day®


(HealthNewsDigest.com) - ATLANTA — May 30, 2008 — As the number of people living with and beyond cancer grows, so does the number of people who serve as unpaid caregivers. According to a recent national survey commissioned by the American Cancer Society and conducted by Harris Interactive, 77 percent of Americans have either a family member or close friend who has been diagnosed with cancer at some time, and 35 percent have served as an unpaid caregiver for an immediate family member or close friend. On Sunday, June 1, the American Cancer Society will join millions of Americans in honoring cancer survivors as part of the 20th annual National Cancer Survivors Day®.

There are nearly 11 million cancer survivors living in the United States, and it is estimated that there will be some 20 million cancer survivors by 2020. On National Cancer Survivors Day the American Cancer Society pays tribute to all the lives touched by cancer, from the 1.4 million newly diagnosed patients estimated this year, to the 11 million people living with a history of cancer, and the millions of family members and friends who are caring for someone facing this disease.

In a recent post on his Dr. Len’s Cancer Blog noting that cancer affects many more lives beyond those who are diagnosed, American Cancer Society deputy chief medical officer J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, M.D., M.A.C.P. called for caregivers to be recognized as true partners in the effort to defeat cancer. He wrote that the caregiver relationship, “goes far beyond what most of us experience in our everyday lives, and calls on the breadths of our capabilities and the depths of our emotional strength.”

Terry Music, interim chief mission officer at the American Cancer Society, added, “The American Cancer Society supports patients, survivors, and caregivers every day of the year by providing free and confidential programs and services in thousands of communities that can improve quality of life no matter where a person is in his or her cancer journey, from a recent diagnosis to years past treatment to a person caring for a loved one.”

Through its Cancer Resource Network, the Society addresses specific needs, from day-to-day help to the latest information and emotional support. Anyone can access these free programs and services by calling 1-800-ACS-2345 or logging on to www.cancer.org. Some examples of available help include empowering people to cope with the physical, social, emotional and financial toll that cancer can take on their lives, and providing practical assistance to ease the burden of the disease, such as transportation to doctor appointments and lodging assistance for treatment away from home.

National Cancer Survivors Day coincides with the American Cancer Society Relay For Life® season. Relay For Life is the Society’s signature event, and it annually brings together more than 3.5 million people to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. Relay For Life events are held in more than 4,900 communities throughout the United States and 19 other countries. Since 1985 these events have raised more than $2 billion to help support the Society’s lifesaving mission.

National Cancer Survivors Day is organized by the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation. For information on community events, visit http://www.ncsdf.org/.

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

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