George Blough Recieves Award for Excellence in Advocacy

West Virginia’s Lead Cancer Advocate Receives National Recognition from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

[October 12, 2010] – George Ann Blough of Hedgesville, W.Va., was named the State Lead Ambassador (SLA) of the Year by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, for her tireless volunteer and grassroots work to help make cancer a national priority.

This annual award is given to a lead congressional volunteer who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in ACS CAN’s area of cancer-related public policy advocacy.

From left: Dr. John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society, George Ann Blough and Molly Daniels, VP of Field Advocacy at ACS CAN

“George has been an avid volunteer and passionate cancer advocate of ACS CAN’s legislative priorities,” said Juliana Frederick, grassroots manager for the American Cancer Society.  “We are honored ACS CAN recognized George for her outstanding contributions to local grassroots organizing and cancer-fighting public policy advocacy in our community.”

Blough is the lead volunteer in West Virgina for ACS CAN, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. ACS CAN is the nation’s largest cancer advocacy organization and supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. As the State Lead Ambassador, Blough is the key volunteer contact for Senators Goodwin and Rockefeller, and works with staff members and other volunteers to set legislative campaign goals for the state.

Blough is a 20-year ovarian cancer survivor and participated in some Society programs as she was undergoing treatment for cancer.  She became a volunteer for the Society and soon became a resource and inspiration for people who were also going through cancer.  Blough served as a Celebration on the Hill Ambassador in 2006 and later became an ACS CAN volunteer and took the lead in West Virginia to promote local advocacy efforts.  She also plans successful fundraisers and regularly contributes to the local media.

“As an ACS CAN volunteer, my voice, along with others, makes a difference,” said Blough.  “It is all of our stories, not just mine, that collectively make a difference in the perception of our elected officials. Faces, names, personal stories and relationships nurtured with them have shown that although we are part of their statistics, we are first and foremost people.”

On behalf of all families touched by cancer, ACS CAN and the Society applaud Blough’s passion and determination to advocate for meaningful legislation that helps eliminate the burden of cancer and ultimately create a world with more birthdays.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem.  ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Juliana Frederick
American Cancer Society
(304) 296-8155 ext 11
[email protected]